


Wanna 1 Couples One-Shot Series

by heartykeykeke



Category: Produce 101 (TV), Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Feel free to comment, Feel free to request, M/M, OT11 - Freeform, One Shot Collection, Random Prompts, every genre, mostly love ongniel, new to one shots, random ideas, requests possible, support all wanna one couples, wanna one trash can, wannable - Freeform, whatever you want to see i can try if it hits me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-04-20 01:14:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 79,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14249877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartykeykeke/pseuds/heartykeykeke
Summary: This will be an open-ended series of one shots written by me with various Wanna One couples and story lines. I will basically try out every Wanna One ship with ideas that I wanted to try or as gifts for my friends/avid readers and supporters of my various works. I cannot say that I am good or bad at one-shots because I've hardly ever tried so it's all new to me. I'm sorry that these one shots may be a bit long because I have a tendency to write too much and have a hard time ending things or cutting things out. I will be trying to connect each story with a Wanna One song and link you to the lyrics and video, if possible incorporating the lyrics in the song but no necessary guarentees there as that takes poetic skill that I'm not confident I have. I hope you will bookmark or sub and read every here and there, giving each couple and story line at least a few paragraph's chance. There will be a variety of genres, all alternate universes, and if the genre or coupling is not your cup of tea I understand. I'm not the sort of author that will get offended by that kind of thing~There will be mainly Ongniel but I will be exploring and taking requests for couplings.





	1. Forward - Chapters Up to Date

Chapters Up To Date:

Chapter 1 Boomerang

    *Genre: Romance, Mature, Hot, Comedy

    *Characters: Ong Seongwoo as a movie actor and Kang Daniel as his body guard.

Chapter 2 Twilight

    *Genre: Romance, Sci-Fi, Time Travel, Angst

    *Characters: Ha Sungwoon as a frozen person from the past, Yoon Jisung as a time jumper from the future.

Chapter 3 I Promise U

    *Genre: School, Romance, Comedy, Soulmates, BFF turned Crush, First Love, Fluff

    *Characters: Bording school students Ong Seongwoo and Kang Daniel as roommates and BFF's who learn through seperation the meaning of soulmates.

Chapter 4 Oh Little Girl(I mean, Boy)

     *Genre: Travel(Battleship style), Fluff, Romance,, Comedy, First Love, One-Sided Crush turns Mutual

     *Characters: high school friends turned recent lovers after Guanlin hiding a long term crush on Jihoon, who's trying to get on the same page, travel to Taiwan so that they can get closer while Jihoon learns more about Guanlin.

Chapter 5 Downpour

     *Genre: angst, romance, drama, smut, artsy, rain themed

     *Characters: Lovers and roommates Minhyun and Jaehwan spend a rainy day in, writing songs, poetry, discussing the past troubles, being affectionate and yet also gloomy, cleaning the house, making love by a rainy window sill.


	2. Boomerang(Ongniel)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ong Seongwoo is the Prince of Asia, an actor who recently became a top star and is dealing with a lot of crazy sasaeng fans and invasive reporters. Kang Daniel is an ex-police officer who was appointed the actor's private body guard. Seongwoo is sweet, kind, and adorable with a ton of dirty thoughts about his body guard he tries to get closer to and give subtle hints about his orientation and interest, though he is intimidated by him. Daniel secretly is in love with and fanboys over Seongwoo outside of work but during work he remains professional, not just that but he puts on a cool, fierce, unapproachable image to try to stay clear of revealing his feelings or letting Seongwoo think it's okay to get close to him. Then, one night things change when Seongwoo asks him to stay to keep him company because he's scared of sasaeng's breaking into his home...

" I'm a fool who only looks at you...

People keep teasing me but whatever they say I don't care.

I only need you....

Your face, your actions, every single little thing, I love it.

Look at me, only me...

Only stick close to me.

Oh my love, don't go..."

                            - Boomerang by Wanna One

 

 

 

“Seongwoo, are you ready?" Daniel asked, tensed as usual, holding the door like he was about to release the top of a grenade.

The man that had become the top-class actor, Ong Seongwoo's, high security body guard when his sasaengs started acting up used to be a police officer in Busan. He had a rigid code of conduct and his expressions were controlled and serious, on top of the fact he had that natural cool swagger Busan people had. Seongwoo was immensely attracted yet intimidated to him and kept him by his side not just because he was sufficient at his job but because he was eye candy for the hidden gay man. Kang Daniel was his full name.

He had silver hair, an attractive face, pretty soft eyes like a puppy he usually kept narrowed and hooded, and a very large muscular frame. He walked with a fierce sort of swag like he was always waiting for a mission to pop up and he owned the place. His hands were incredibly sexy and they controlled and handled everything firmly with a graceful sort of control. They were the sort of hands that would likely fondle a lover the same way they caressed the gun he always wore at his hip of his cargos.

Seongwoo gulped as he looked at the younger, silver-haired, sexy enough to curse out loud body guard who felt like a hyung several years older than him. Daniel had the most impressive, charismatic presence, even when he wasn't glaring outside with his sculpted jaw tensed and his Adam's apple prominent, sweat beading on his forehead under his tussled silver hair, which always looked like he'd fallen asleep after a good fuck and then came to work without even showering.

Seongwoo gulped as he ‘attempt at subtly’ stared at his body guard for the millionth time, hoping that the observant ex commander looking fabulous in a commander jacket with a gazillion pockets and zippers, black cargo pants and boots, and his usual black leather half gloves somehow did not notice.

He was nervous--half from the crowd of fans and paparazzi banging on his car and half from how being alone with Daniel made him feel. The sexual attraction he felt for his body guard was suffocating. But it was impossible to tell if Daniel knew this or not, if he even knew his sexual orientation. They didn't talk about anything private and his expressions were always intense and serious. He never relaxed or let up and they never talked about something casual.

Seongwoo attempted once or twice but Daniel only gave a sentence back and didn't use any follow up questions. Seongwoo talked about himself but he was intimidated by the man to ask much. He knew only that Daniel lived alone, loved animals, gave most of his money to his mother and charities, his parents were divorced, and he had quit the police force because his mother felt it was too dangerous. He had been shot in the stomach a year ago and it had been nearly fatal. Because he cared for his mom more than the world, he had agreed to move to a less risky job of protecting recently up and promising actors.

Or at least it was meant to be not risky. These days though Seongwoo was rather terrified of what his sudden sparks in fame brought. Outside wherever he went was chaos. His fans and paparazzi stalked him and harassed him on his phone. They got his new number as soon as he changed it. They seemed to know his schedule even better than he did. He almost got in accidents by the taxis following him.

 It hadn't always been like that and he missed it even though he appreciated the salary bump, love calls, and international recognition of his acting skills. He was now known as the Prince of Asia. The most burdensome thing was being bombarded by people everywhere and never having privacy and constantly having his personal space invaded.

"Seongwoo, answer me," Daniel barked, slapping his black cargo panted leg with his gloved hand.

Seongwoo jumped and swiveled his head in confusion with blinking eyes and squeaked out, "Neh?"

"You are supposed to be on the carpet to take photos and give a small comment in three minutes. We need to go now. Are you ready or are we going to skip this event as well? I told you not to be scared. I will keep them off of you."

Seongwoo was thrown speechless by the subtle softness in his thick, husky, deep, accented tone that was rare. He could sense that Seongwoo was anxious and was guessing accurately what it was about. The other day, they had had an incident on his movie set, resulting in Daniel being separated and Seongwoo almost getting seriously injured by a falling boomer. Seongwoo didn't however doubt that the professional was going to slack and fail to protect him. It was just the problem of there being so many people. Accidents were inevitable and that worried him, for his sake and Daniel's who jumped in an instant to protect him. One of his sasaeng's could end up injuring Daniel as Daniel threw himself in harm's way without second thought.

Who was he to Daniel that he would risk his body like that for a stranger though? He appreciated it, but he wished Daniel sometimes would think of himself before his job. He would feel insanely guilty if something happened to Daniel, especially if he lost a perfect limb or his muscular hardware got scratched up.

"Watch out for yourself, right…"

Daniel sort of smirked as he snorted. That was the first time Seongwoo had seen any sort of emotion from him. It was breathtaking and made his body instantly tingle with desire. Kang Daniel was pure hot sex on legs, like a mustard covered hot dog.

Seongwoo wanted him something fierce with every moment they shared the same quarters. Daniel was always by Seongwoo’s side unless he was in his apartment room sleeping. Yet Seongwoo felt like he still couldn’t make a move or proposition him. Daniel seemed like the type to be completely straight, seeing as he had yet to pick up on a single hint he’d sent, and he had such a strict code of conduct related to rules that he would probably resign.

"I'm a full-grown man capable of handling myself. The one that needs to be watched out for is you. That's why I'm here. As your protector like Goliath."

"I'm taller and older and I know taichi..." Seongwoo complained with a pouty frown.

"But you are a clumsy Ongcheongie who gets lost going to the bathroom in your own home." Daniel said such a mean, teasing thing with a serious face and deadpan tone.

Seongwoo's face flushed and his eyes twitched with irritation. "That happened once. Forget it. No more talking. Let's get this over with."

 Seongwoo tried to push the door open, wanting to escape from the humiliation, hating that he was only seen as a hopeless childish pabo that needed babying by the man he was secretly crushing on. He wished that Daniel would see him as a charming, heart throb, perfect boyfriend material like the rest of the nation did. His life never seemed to go the way he wanted to. Well, even as a child, he had always been the unlucky sort, sometimes to the point it was so laughable. Early on in his career, he had been often called to participate in variety shows. Many people forgot he was an actor and model and thought of him as a comedian instead. Until his last two movies became huge hits anyway.

Daniel held the door open and gave him a stern look that made Seongwoo cower a bit. Jeez, Daniel could be seriously frightening sometimes. His firey glares and dominance reminded him of an alpha wolf which was all the more thrilling because Seongwoo liked to be submissive and controlled much of the time.

"Calm down before we go out. I won't let you go storming out tonight that's what caused the accident. I need to go first and stick close to you. I know you have a thing about personal space, but with me you need to deal with it and keep your cool. Just look forward and smile, walking at a normal speed. Treat me like a wall and let me stick right by you. You got that? I don't want any accidents where you get hurt again and can't go on set."

Seongwoo flushed and bit his lip, his pulse racing from adrenaline and other things. He shouldn't but a part of him took that as Daniel caring about him being hurt and it affecting his career. Don't torture me you sexy devil, he thought with irritation, tempted to smack him. If only he didn't know how muscular and strong those arms were. He had seen Daniel do things with those arms that suggested he could crush things. He sort of wanted them crushing his stomach as he rammed him from behind on these leather seats right now.

"I will be good today. Let's just go. It's hot. I am having a hard time breathing," Seongwoo muttered, fanning his face and panting in exaggeration of how he was suffering.

Daniel's pretty yet calm, calculating eyes stared hard at his face like he was analyzing him.  Seongwoo shifted his eyes away and sweated nervously, worried that his makeup was smeared or his updo looked greasy now. He had taken extra pains to look nice for this award show because his colleagues and him would be getting a reward for their movie. This suit was stifling but even more so was that intense gaze directed right at him without even blinking.

He wondered if Daniel found him attractive like his large male fan base did, even some that were straight, or at least in the closet still convinced they were. He had heard he had a face that all kinds of people any age and gender could like. He hoped that was true for the first time. He really wished some small part of the reason that Daniel was often looking at him intensely was because he liked how he looked rather than it being just because of his duties.

After a suffocating, tense, silent minute, Daniel concluded that Seongwoo was ready to go out and face the chaos. As soon as the door opened, there were screams, flashing cameras, gifts, and signs all around his periphery. Daniel spread his arms out as he stepped out, shouting deeply for people to step back and make way.

Seongwoo gingerly stepped out of the car. Daniel kicked it shot and hung to his side with his arms out. Other body guards that were working there flanked his sides but no one was stuck as close as Daniel. Seongwoo faltered on a step when he brushed those deliciously buff arms and caught a wiff of Daniel's intoxicating cologne mixed with musky warm male scent at the crook of his neck above his black commander jacket which hid his ripped chest Seongwoo had fantasies about after he had seen him in tighter clothes.

Daniel kept looking forward and walking sideways, saying to the pressing, screaming fans, and the mic wielding, flashing camera holding paparazzi, "No questions. No presents. Go through the company. Make way please. We're late. Move out of the way, seriously. Don't come any closer. It's dangerous. Back away from him. I told you no questions yet. No gifts, go through the company. Do what I say while I’m asking nicely. Back up."

Seongwoo did as he was supposed to do in these situations. He stuck right up to Daniel's chest, occasionally bumping into his massive body, smiling and bowing as he walked calmly forward. His heart was racing and his body shaking, his pupils shifting left and right worriedly. He saw some of his infamous sasaeng fans taking photos and tossing bags at his feet full of expensive or unique gifts. They tried to pass it to him but Daniel knocked it down or pushed it back in case there was something inappropriate.

Seongwoo had used to accept all presents from his fans, especially liking the clothes, accessories, and the specially made freckled seal dolls. These days though he had started getting odd and inappropriate gifts, so his company had asked that he refuse any gifts that didn't go through the proper security channels. Daniel was strict about following this, though Seongwoo wanted to accept their gifts even with the chance of there being something like cut-off hair, used panties, dirty tampons, or sex toys.

 They were his fans and he wanted to love and accept their love, even the crazier ones who didn't have the best idea what he would want as a present. He didn’t like to think anything negative of his fans. That was just the kind of person he was. The sweetheart Prince of Fan Service.

He personally looked at every fan as they walked, even in the total chaos. He smiled, waved, gave them hearts with his fingers, and did everything they asked. There were all sorts of fans calling his names and he focused on them individually for several seconds, making eye contact, striking poses and smiling for them, listening carefully for what they wanted. They asked him to Do a V and a funny face, then a cute look and his infamous begging dance. He did everything, looking directly at them so they could capture the moment on their cameras and in their minds.

Daniel shot him an annoyed look and motioned for him to do less fan service and walk faster. Seongwoo decided to go against him today, feeling bad for his normal fans who were suffering from the actions of a few overzealous girls. He looked out specifically for the fan-sight leader’s cameras and did as they asked, walking rather slow.

Daniel leaned in with his mouth twitching and dark brown eyes flashing, growling, "Ong. If you don't hurry your tiny seal feet up, I'm going to get ticked beyond what you’ve ever seen, I swear to God. You really want me to whip out my gun to clear this room? I get in trouble if you're really late and this is not safe, not by a mile. Stop defying me, this instant."

Seongwoo looked at him with big eyes and gulped. If Daniel was using his last name in that clip dark tone, he was on the verge of being Godzilla raging level pissed. He had only seen Daniel past that level once and he had broken a chair with his foot. He learned his lesson quick, though a small part of him was tempted to push his buttons because that display of raw manliness was hot as hell and was going to provide sufficient fantasies for later that night when he was alone in his bed.

He quickly sped up and Daniel's expression eased a bit, though it was still tense and serious because of the situation. What Seongwoo wouldn't give to see a real smile. He was curious how a smile would change the hot guy's face. Daniel had rather puffy cheeks and angled eyes which Seongwoo imagined puffed out, scrunched up, and showed dimples and a cute eye smile.

 

 

Daniel was incredibly annoyed, enough to crush an apple in his hand if he had one. At the situation, at the crowds, at the noisy cameras, at the mics and elbows shoved in his back from those trying to get closer to the sensational actor. Mostly though, he was annoyed at Seongwoo for not listening to him.

Seongwoo understood perfectly well how dangerous these situations were and how important it was to keep schedule to avoid getting complaints and criticisms on the news. Despite that, he insisted, yet again, on boldly disobeying orders and risking his safety all for some crazy chicks that claimed to love him.

Seongwoo was famous for his sincere, devoted fan service but Daniel saw it as unnecessary and a waste of their time. He also disliked the way it made these girls get riled up and press closer with desperate, wild eyes. They looked at Ong like starving Eskimos hunting a baby seal.

It was his duty to protect Seongwoo, but there was more to it to him than just doing his duties from some point. Seeing Seongwoo get hurt and the panic that he'd felt seeing Seongwoo get rushed and fall over while being separated the other day though had made him realize something loud and clear. He did not just think that Seongwoo was rather charming and adorable the way that every other fan did. He cared for Seongwoo and worried about him being careless. Because he had fallen in love with him.

Seongwoo was the sort of guy that, despite his age and ten years of experience in the entertainment world, needed a lot of protection and personal care. Because he was clumsy and got lost easily and tended to forget the details of his schedules. It triggered some sort of fatherly nurturing nature in him he didn't know he had.

He could barely stay irritated with Ong too, like now when he was standing on the carpet in his fancy black suit and purple bowtie, making cute poses that contrasted with his deathly handsome looks. He crossed his arms and smirked softly with pride as Seongwoo worked the camera with his modeling skills.

Seongwoo was even more handsome on screen because he knew just how to work his angles. He had the greatest proportions and a small, chiseled face with the prettiest, round, deep-set, double-lidded eyes. He looked how everyone got surgery to try to look like but it was natural. There was something angelic and art-like about him, especially with the soft, cute way he smiled, resembling the seal plushie his fans made.

Daniels eyes drifted along his thin, lean, tall body and landed on his elegant, milky hands, then his always perfect, glossy dark locks, and then his attractive, charming point which were his special triangular moles the country just raved about. There were a million things to freak out over Seongwoo though. Daniel had discovered them all first hand, one perfection and adorable little flaw after another. He was a talented guy with a great personality with a splash of funniness and a heart of pure gold.

Ong Seognwoo was probably the most lovable guy in history on top of being unfairly, insanely good-looking. He had hardly any antis. He had fans of all ages and genders. He was untouched by scandals. Only good deeds and praise came up when searching his name. Daniel admired that, as it was very hard for anyone in this world to keep their name clean when there were people out to salvage your reputation and create huge holes out of molehill level misunderstandings.

In the middle of Seongwoo's rather poetic, well-practiced, perfectly delivered comment, a male fan could be heard screaming and then others joined in. "Ong Seongwoo, you're handsome!" "You're really good looking!" "I love you!" “You’re Daebak Wonjeon Sincha Heol hot!”

Daniels brows furrowed and eye twitched and his mood soured instantly. He fiercely glared in the direction of the noisy male fans who dared interrupt his comment. Even the females had enough respect for Seongwoo and this recording not to do that. Seongwoo seemed surprised and amused by it, rather than offended at least.

Daniel felt more irritated on his behalf. Though a good part of him was irritated because he knew what direction Ong swung and he was worried about him noticing those fanboys were tall and attractive enough to be models themselves. It was jealousy he wasn’t allowed to feel. As far as he knew, Seongwoo had too full of a schedule to date but that didn't mean he couldn't invite people to fool around at his apartment. Daniel, after all, didn't stay outside his bedroom door, though some days he was tempted to because of the sasaeng fans that were known to camp out in the parking lot. He was always worried they were going to trick gullible, trusting Seongwoo into opening it.

Daniel glared at the fanboys, willing them to be silent so Seongwoo could continue his well-spoken comment. Seongwoo, as ever the kindest specimen of fallen angel, gave out his excellent fan service by waving and looking right at them with a sweet smile, making them whoop.

Daniel rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "Don't think much of it, lover boys. He does that to even street cats. I wouldn't go thinking you're so special. He's a perpetual flirt and you’re just money signs."

Daniel chewed angrily on his lip as he glanced back at Seongwoo, keeping half an eye out for any rushing fans or projectiles he would need to dodge in front of. He felt uneasy at these times he wasn't allowed to be right at Seongwoo's side. Since he realized he had a little crush on the guy, even though he had no plans to act out on it because it was against policy and Seongwoo certainly wouldn't be interested in him when he was surrounded by celebrities, he felt at ease only when they were close together. He felt like only he knew how to predict the frequent problems, big or small, that befell the unlucky Seongwoo and could protect him properly.

Seongwoo passed the mic over to the MC too quickly and dropped it. Daniel rushed forward and swiveled, kicking it away before it could land on his foot. The crowd gasped and Seongwoo jumped back with a gasp, looking grateful but also dumbfounded. Daniel sheepishly scratched his hair and moved silently to the side, slightly embarrassed he had overacted and likely broken the mic.

Seongwoo finished up with a few more pictures, chuckling here and there as he glanced over at Daniel after that. Daniel stared at the ground with his hands clasped in front of his spread legs in his usual ‘at work’ stance, avoiding his amused eyes.

"Thanks. That was quite the show. You looked like Jackie Chan. Quite cool. Where did you learn that?"

Daniel looked up and forced his expression to remain blank and impassive though Seongwoo's sweet voice and gentle touch on his shoulder did funny things to his heart, as well as the word ‘cool’. Daniel wanted from long ago to talk when Seongwoo approached him but he curbed himself. It was against the rules to have private conversations with charges and chit-chatting distracted from the job which could be fatal.

Even if he could, he wasn't sure that he would be able to because he didn't have an interesting life or dramatic past or a ton of impressive success stories. He didn't think Seongwoo would find anything he had to say the least bit entertaining. Seongwoo was ages too good for him. He did enjoy listening to Seongwoo babble though. No matter how cross and disinterested he acted, Seongwoo kept subtly trying to approach him and get close, succeeding in cracking his shell bit by bit. He was incredibly charming, on top of having ethereal looks and an angelic smile. Sometimes Daniel said things about himself without thinking and then he was mentally shooting himself in the foot later for going against the code he lived strictly by.

Daniel moved away from Seongwoo's touch swiftly. The man looked offended and hurt. He resisted the urge to pinch Seongwoo’s cheek and kiss his pout away.

Why was he so adorable? It was like he was a baby in his mid-twenties. He was hard to resist but luckily Kang Daniel was known for self-restraint. He had survived several months so far, forcing himself to resist the lovable, attractive man and hiding his feelings day by day.

"It's just basic martial arts. We learn it at the police academy."

"Your reflexes are incredible. I feel safest with you. Not even a mic is allowed to hurt me. It is impressive,” Seongwoo smiled brightly and gave him the weirdest thumbs up, looking so incredibly child-like, silly, and cute.

Daniel coughed into his hand and looked away quickly before he started flushing, laughing, or smiling.

“How passionate you are about your job, really~ You’re my hero, Kang Da.Ni.El."

Trust me, I'm not usually this passionate about my job, I just get over protective of you, I get antsy at the idea of you bleeding from a paper cut or a splinter, Daniel thought. Anything that scared or even annoyed Seongwoo he was sure to take out personally as swiftly as possible, preferably before the often clueless man even realized what was coming.

It was troublesome to explain, so Daniel didn't tell him always when he gave him a surprised, questioning look at those times. It wasn't that he wasn't necessarily the quiet sort, but he felt like once he started talking like he normally did with Seongwoo, then he would never stop and he’d slip up about his feelings.

He waited until he got home and then he talked to his mother and friends about his crush and laughed hard over his jokes. Seongwoo was really funny, even when he wasn't trying to be. Sometimes it was painful to hold back his laughter, as he usually had to hold his breath and pinch himself pretending he was focused hard on the surroundings Seongwoo wouldn't catch on. Sometimes he laughed about Seongwoo’s antics off and on all night.

"Police academy sounds fun when I think of learning how to do that sort of kick. You looked really cool. Well, not that you don't look cool just standing in your gear with your hand on your gun every day...."

Daniel almost chuckled and stopped himself, but he was too late with his eyebrow which was raising up in a sassy fashion. Seongwoo found him cool when he was just standing around? That was interesting news he was going to have to fanboy and brag about later.

Jisung, his best friend, would get a kick out of it because he knew Daniel real personality and he would use something more like choding or slob or cutie to describe him. Daniel much preferred to have the cool, masculine image that he was able to portray at work. He was flattered, even more so pleased by the tint on Seongwoo's face and how he kept glancing at the ground like a shy school girl.

He couldn't act on it but the idea that Seongwoo might just have occasional moments where he found Daniel attractive or cool made him feel on top of the world, even better than when he'd gotten his first badge or completed his first official mission. The song he listened to on his morning commute to pick up Seongwoo at his apartment came to mind. "Cause you got it bad~"

After acknowledging the reason for why Seongwoo was often on his mind even when he wasn't on duty and why he kept smiling and chuckling like a weirdo whenever he thought of him alone and why his sex dream fantasy guy now had Seongwoo's features, the feeling had increased exponentially it seemed. Daniel looked at the top of his brunette waves and clenched his fist, willing himself not to give in to the sudden urge to pat his head and ruffle the other’s hair affectionately. He nodded curtly instead, putting tension back into his face and refusing to acknowledging Seongwoo's small confession. He wasn’t clueless, he knew that Seongwoo occasionally flirted but he didn’t fully understand the intention behind those moments.

"It's time to go in. I will follow you in and then stand at the side near your table. Things should he okay because security is tight inside, but I will be on the lookout. You just enjoy the show, smile and clap like a seal as usual. Because the cameras will be all over you the entire night."

 Seongwoo rolled his eyes and sighed slightly. "Ugh, well that sounds just wonderful~"

Daniel allowed just a hint of a teasing tone in his voice. "Considering your job, you should he used to it."

 "You don't understand, Daniel. I have to act every moment outside of my apartment and I'm only getting paid for half of it. Putting up pretenses and being the way others want you to be for the sake of your image related to your job is exhausting."

Oh, I understand it much better than you think, cute Ongcheongie, Daniel thought with a side-smirk the other didn’t see.

"No time for complaints, Ong. Get that million-dollar seller smile on. Still cameras on you by the way."

 Seongwoo instantly turned and flashed a gorgeous, sweet smile, looking like a ball of fluff. The cameras flashed and the crowd of pushing, ‘Ong’ sign shaking fans squeaked as he waved and blinded them. Daniel followed behind with one hand in his pocket and the other on his gun, trying not to get distracted fror searching for threats to admire the attractive actor as he walked, waved, smiled, and performed fan service in front of him.

Part of him was envious of those fans. Daniel was never going to get that sort of cute gesture and blinding smile directed at him. He wasn't allowed to ask or hope for it. His code required him to keep things between them cool, professional, and distant. They were also born to different worlds, as he was never going to be famous or rich. He wondered if Seongwoo was okay with that or like him he found himself wondering, fantasizing, and sort of hoping for more by some odd miracle.

 

 

Inside the venue, Daniel stood to the side and fought off the urge to yawn and doze off as he found actor functions terribly boring. All they did was talk and clap and drink stale wine.

Seongwoo had the greatest acting ability though. His expression always looked like he was having the time of his life. It was his way to network and get lots of camera time. A handsome face was liked more when it was smiling and laughing, as he said.

Later on though in the car, he would surely sigh and rub his sore cheeks and complain in an aegyo-filled baby like tone about how dull it was. He also had a tendency to move and imitate quite excellently the people who gave the speeches or sat at his table. It was the most painful time for Daniel to keep a straight face because Seongwoo did it so well that it was the most hilarious thing he’d ever seen.

 If a laugh came out by chance, he disguised it with a quick cough and he hid his smiles behind his glove. Seongwoo would look offended and say that Daniel had no sense of humor and was much too serious. That's because he didn't know how hard Daniel laughed about it once they were apart, sometimes chuckling all throughout the night and making his mother annoyed.

The event went on for two hours and the whole time Daniel didn't take his eyes off Seongwoo. If asked why, he would claim it was his duty, but to be honest Seongwoo was the prettiest, most entertaining person here. He had no desire to look elsewhere. The other, supposed top stars and even the flashy performers paled in comparison to his favorite movie star.

When he got the award with his crew, Daniel clapped and whooped loudly and told Seongwoo he was awesome and super handsome, knowing that his fanboying would be covered up at these occasions so Seongwoo would never know where the voice came from exactly. When he came back, Daniel walked next to him until he was at the table, watching out for anything that could make him trip and pointing him in the correct direction of his table because sometimes he got confused with them all looking the same even though he left his jacket there to pinpoint the location better.

Some body guards may have gotten annoyed or exasperated with this. Daniel was used to it. He found this aspect of the top star that got love calls and demands to appear in various shows and projects quite adorable.

Seongwoo sheepishly, shyly smiled, making a grab for the chairs Daniel moved, insisting he could avoid them or move them himself at least. Daniel chuckled softly and smiled where Seongwoo couldn't hear him as he thought of a time when he had moved a chair and proceeded to trip over it, spilling some huge director’s wine on his white pants. Seongwoo had felt so humiliated that he had insisted they leave early and the video had gone viral. He could move a chair, Daniel's sexy bubbly ass.

Daniel ignored Seongwoo's whines about his independence, moving the chairs before his pale, fragile, pretty hands could grab the backs. He felt better even if this was an unnecessary precaution, knowing that Seongwoo wasn't going to be attacked by any shifting chairs on his watch at least.

Seongwoo sat in the chair Daniel held out for him with an epic pout. “That’s a pride-wrecker if I’ve ever seen one…”

Daniel patted his shoulder before he could stop himself, amazed at how small it was compared to his own. "You shouldn't feel embarrassed. I bet other's envy you being treated like a prince because you're so talented and popular. They probably think you demand and pay me to do this. See you later, Prince Ong."

 Daniel teased him but with a dull tone as if he wasn't, bowing graciously before moving to the side again.

 

 

Back in the car after the event was over, Seongwoo was full of complaints about the boring show, about his demanding fans, about the snake paparazzi and about how Daniel was treating him like a baby and giving him sass. Daniel stayed silent refusing to apologize or promise to do the opposite.

"That's just part of my duties. If you weren't such a haphazard, handful of a walking disaster, I wouldn't have to. I don't like you getting even a scratch because every single one directly reflects on my record. Us Busan guys have a large amount of pride."

That was Daniels simple defense every time that Seongwoo got upset about his way of protecting him and communicating. As every time, Seongwoo sighed and gave one last pout before dropping it up and bringing up what sort of food tasted good. Today he was debating between ice cream or cake. Daniel suggested a cafe where they could get both, knowing that it would he wouldn’t be happy with whatever single decision he made.

 

 

 

Daniel sat in the chair with his legs splayed wide and his arms crossed, watching the fans gathering out the window and the few people inside who looked and whispered excitedly. Seongwoo was too engrossed in his coffee and cheesecake to care much.

"Hmm, it's so good. You should try some!"

Daniel looked at the dessert and frowned, scrunching up his nose with a shake of his head. He always refused as he wasn't too fond of sweets. He was more of a meat eater, he had told Seongwoo so.

I wouldn't mind tasting something else sweet though, he thought naughtily as his gaze shifted and lingered on Seongwoo's mouth which had cake crumbs at the corner of it. He bet the sweet tasted scrumptious combined with those periwinkle, bow-shaped, silky lips. Seongwoo noticed where he was looking and blushed as he quickly wiped his mouth.

Some girls giggled, commenting that he was really cute despite how handsome he was. Daniel agreed wholeheartedly but still glared a hole through them. They appeared frightened by the body guard. Seongwoo waved at them and gave Daniel a stern look like he was a growling dog he was training to play nice. Then, Daniel rolled his eyes as Seongwoo went on to perform his flawless never-ending fan service. He paused eating in order to take pictures and give signatures to those who wanted them. Daniel felt bored so he tried the sweet.

Then his face heated and he gasped as he realized he had shared an indirect kiss with his employer and secret crush. His mind wondered like it did several times a day to what a real kiss would feel like. It must be positively heavenly…

 

 

“Daniel, there’s something off here. Come back up…”

Seongwoo called Daniel on his way out of the apartment after dropping him off. He said there was something strange about the rooms and the door. He felt like someone had been in his home. Daniel cursed and told him to get out of there until he was back. Seongwoo looked shaken up, standing outside, biting his nails, and staring at the door. He showed him where there were scratches as if it had been picked at.

Daniel brushed Seongwoo's shoulders as he held himself tightly and shivered. "I will go in first. Stay close behind me."

The two went inside with Seongwoo pressed to Daniel's back, peeking over his shoulder. They found some of his things missing and a window open inside. A fan had clearly been here and figured out the passcode. Daniel locked the windows and checked the house, making sure there was no one hiding. The fan hadn't left anything behind luckily. He changed the password and made sure it was working.

As he was going out the door after telling Seongwoo everything was alright now but he'd be staking out the perimeter for a couple hours, Seongwoo grabbed his arm.

"Stay with me. I don't want to be alone..." He whispered shakily.

Daniel whipped around, thinking his ears were deceiving him. "S-tay with you..?" He slightly stuttered, his expression showing his true feelings for once which was anxious shock.

How could he spend the night in the same place as Seongwoo? That was too risky. He was likely to be exposed. He was likely to do something inappropriate, since even a few minutes alone with the pretty man who had no idea how naturally seductive and adorable every little thing he did was was torture.

"I get lonely and now I'm frightened. Keep me company just one night. I will give you anything you wish to drink."

"Well, hot chocolate sounds nice if you have that..."

Daniel shut the door, giving up on even thinking of refusing Seongwoo when he was being this level of suddenly clingy and needy. He was hugging his arm and pulling him to the kitchen with sparkling, pleading kitten eyes, looking like he was on the verge of tearing up and sitting on the floor with his limbs wrapped around his legs like a koala. Seeing some of the over top things Seongwoo did because he knew no shame, Daniel wouldn't rule out the possibility. Who could possibly resist that face honestly?

Seongwoo instantly eased but continued to hold onto him as if he was scared he would bolt if he released him completely. He was smiling softly and chuckled.

 "Sure, I have it. But the thought of hot chocolate with neon mini marshmallows hardly suits your ‘Mafia Boss’ character, just so you know."

Daniel merely shrugged, choosing not to comment on it, and inwardly chuckling at the mafia comment. He offered a small smile, thinking that Seongwoo deserved the comfort in this situation. He was giving him a gift too, letting him stay here. He really had no idea how happy Daniel was inside, obviously not about Seongwoo having a stalker fan break into his home though. He was ecstatic to spend time with him alone in a cozy, private setting, as much as it also terrified and concerned him.

"I happen to like chocolate, especially if it's warm. I like jellies too."

 "So, you just have a thing against cakes and tarts, then?" Seongwoo beamed, his heart racing excitedly and extremely pleased to have finally seen a smile on the always intense, serious, and even gloomy, black-clad body guard.

Daniel nodded and kept smiling. "Yup, that's right."

Seongwoo couldn't get over how handsome yet soft he looked with just that hint of a smile. His eyes were warm and sweet now in a way he had only ever seen him get with kids and animals. Daniel let himself be dragged to the kitchen by Seongwoo, the ex-seal newly turned koala apparently, not commenting or really minding that Seongwoo was looking at him and seemed extremely delighted.

Seongwoo released him only to open a cupboard. Although they were the same height, Daniel acted on instinct to grab the box of cocoa mix and the bag of neon mini marshmallows from his top cupboard. Seongwoo snatched them away and gave him the most offended, seriously annoyed look. It was a priceless, unique, adorable look that would be perfect for a meme.

"You're a guest in my house tonight. Stop acting like my nanny. Getting things off high shelves when I am just as tall if not taller than you is hardly in your job description. And don't even go to your code on this one because I won't be convinced."

"Oh, you sure are feisty today, Ong. Okay, I will try to resist my urge to baby you in your house."

"Thank you, finally some respect adult to adult," he huffed.

Daniel laid back on the counter with his arms crossed, watching Seongwoo get some water boiling in the electric pot and pour the mix and marshmallows in the cup. He figured that the marshmallows were supposed to go in last otherwise it would be difficult to stir. He strongly wanted to say ‘I told you so.’ However, he bit his tongue knowing that Seongwoo would consider it as criticism.

"Ouch!"

Daniel rushed forward, his heart racing as panic and fear washed over at the sound of his charge in pain. "What's wrong?"

Seongwoo held his fingers, his handsome face contorted in discomfort and irritation. "I brushed the pot. It stings..." he whined in a sulky baby tone.

"Aigoo, this Ongcheongie. You should be more careful around hot things. Let me see."

Daniel gently tapped his knuckle against his temple affectionately, then took Seongwoo's hand in his without thinking and brought the red mark on his finger tip to his mouth. He knew the best thing was to run it under cold water but with most hand injuries the impulse was to bring it to his mouth. He blew and rubbed the thin finger.

Seongwoo was frozen, his face stark red as he stared at him, his hands slightly shaking. Daniel realized what he was doing was inappropriately intimate. He put Seongwoo's hand in the sink and turned on the faucet with cold water. He tried not to make a fuss about touching Seongwoo's hand as he cooled it off, but it was impossible not to feel something since this was a first and it was something he had imagined and Seongwoo's hands felt softer and more fragile than he imagined.

Seongwoo's heart was racing like crazy and he chewed on his lower lip, willing himself to calm down and not shake so obviously. The smell of Daniel was intoxicating, being close to him in this sort of setting and having his strong, gentle, silky hands on him for once not wearing his gloves was rattling. He glanced up and gulped, regretting it immediately. Daniel was gazing down at his hands, his silvery locks falling forward, his lashes and warm eyes looking prettier than ever, his squared jaw tensed in concentration, and his plush lips parted as he breathed through them. His cheeks were slightly flushed and he was trying strangely hard to avoid touching him anywhere else besides their hands.

Seongwoo wondered if maybe Daniel was affected by him as well and if he felt the pull of attraction between them. Seongwoo decided to test something out.

He sidled closer, pressing up against Daniel's body. The man tensed and jumped away, hissing as he inhaled sharply. He appeared more flushed and embarrassed.

His tone was shaky and rushed. "I will get a bandaid for you. Where do you keep your first aid kit?"

Seongwoo blinked a few times and then pointed to the right. "In the bathroom."

"I'll be right back. Try not to hurt yourself anymore,” he grumbled and strode off, stomping heavily.

 

 

Seongwoo giggled and swayed his bum in a happy dance as he got the hot chocolate ready. He was ecstatic at the thought that Daniel was terribly attracted to him to the point he got jumpy with them touching, alone like this, that he forgot all about the pain. He considered his accident-prone personality a blessing for once since it showed him something he had been wondering and hoping about.

Maybe Daniel was not fully straight after all. Maybe Seongwoo's face was confusing him like it had been guys his whole life, contributing to him having the largest fanboy base in Korea.

Daniel came back with the first aid kit, scolding Seongwoo for doing anything with his hurt hand. “How is it?”

"It's better already. See?" Seongwoo replied brightly, smiling in a way that would surely make Daniel less crabby.

Daniel sat next to him on the couch and took his hand again. His pretty, almond eyes scrunched in that intense, concentrated way he had and his cool, silvery hair fell forward off his forehead, looking sensually messy. Seongwoo looked at him biting his lip flushing and tingling all over. Daniel was the hottest man he had ever encountered. He made his words and air get stuck in his throat and his body heat all over like he had coals lit inside of him.

"It does look better. Still try to avoid using this hand much. Whatever you need just ask me."

"How about a kiss...?" Seongwoo smirked playfully, then giggled as Daniel's head shot up. His shocked, pale face was really adorable, so much like a puppy.

"On my finger like mommies do, I meant silly~" he teased.

"Oh..." Daniel put on medicine and a band-aid with slightly less deft than normal fingers, his face tinging and avoiding eye contact.

Seongwoo kept looking at him. He didn't feel as intimidated by Daniel. Now that they were in his home and he knew Daniel's secret and was using it to get a new kind of reaction out of him, Seongwoo found the fierce man rather soft and cute. He looked more like a wolf that had been house trained.

"Where's my kiss?" Seongwoo asked cutely, lifting his hand to Daniel's chin when Daniel let his hand go.

Daniel looked at him for a long, hot moment, debating whether Seongwoo was joking or not, hovering his plush, parted lips over his fingers. They both were holding their breath, their hearts racing at the stuffy, charged mood in the air. Daniel looking at him through his hair so directly and close to kissing him did funny things to Seongwoo's body. He felt hot and tense all over and he was tempted to let out a moan of feral pleasure. This moment was incinerating.

Did Daniel think so too? Or was he unaware of just how much he was desired?

Daniel leaned in slowly and pressed his lips lightly to his finger tip. It was as soft as flower petals and shot electricity up through his whole body.

Then the moment was gone, forced by Daniel, the as ever professional. He moved farther away, turned impassive, clamped his jaw shut and stared across the room as he gulped his cocoa. Seongwoo curled up on the couch and sipped his own, glancing occasionally at him.

The silence made him uncomfortable, so Seongwoo turned on the TV and flipped through the channels, judging what Daniel liked by reading his subtle expression changes. Daniel seemed to brighten a bit and pause in moving his cup in mid-air when a fighting channel came on. Seongwoo put down the controller as he shook his head and laughed softly.

"Figures you would be into violence of all things, Jackie Chan."

Daniel smiled sheepishly. "It's not sheer violence. It's a masculine sport. It goes back hundreds of thousands of years. No fancy rules or equipment. No one's on steroids or cheating. Just body on body."

I can think of some other body on body act dating thousands of years I would like to do with you, Seongwoo thought, smiling naughtily behind his cup he was using to hide behind as he looked the hottie up and down with a hungry gaze.

Daniel glanced a suspicious expression he had occasionally seen, like a kid hiding cookies he stole from the cookie jar just waiting to get caught. Sometimes Seongwoo could really look like a fox or a kitten, full of mischief and playfulness. Daniel wished that he was at liberty to find out but unfortunately they had a professional relationship to maintain. Daniel couldn't act like how he would with this kind of guy in normal circumstances.

Normally, he would have tickled Seongwoo and pulled him into his lap, growling about what naughty thing he was thinking and how he'd better spill it or he was going to strip him and tickle him right here on this couch until he nearly peed and then he was going to fuck him hard because it felt better when you came with a full bladder. Daniel shook his head and pinched his leg hard, struck by the direction of his thoughts and how suddenly turned on he got by the detailed images.

"How long do you want me to stay? I really should get going..." He muttered, though it was a lie.

He had nothing to do particularly, but he was worried what he would do that ended up with his feelings completely uncovered if Seongwoo wasn't suspecting already.

Seongwoo pouted and tapped his lip, giving him large, slow blinking, kitten eyes. Goodness, but he was gorgeous and sweet and soft looking right now. Daniel wanted to kiss him terribly. He pinched himself harder and looked at his forehead instead. At least that wasn't going to turn him on worse, but then again, he had once been turned on by just the sight of Seongwoo's bare upper arms and another by his exposed knees through holes in his pants before, so who really knew. Daniel was a gonner when it came to any part of Seongwoo, no matter what innocent or not so innocent move he did with it.

Seongwoo cocked his head to the side and whined, "Can you just stay one more hour, please~ I could use someone to go over my script with me tomorrow."

Daniel frowned. "I am a terribly actor..."

"It doesn't really matter. Your character sort of just stands there looking angry or disinterested. You're good at that."

Seongwoo left for a while, coming back with two copies of his script open and highlighted. Daniel looked over the part opposite Seongwoo's character.

"I'm playing a girl? That's even harder..."

"You don't need to change your voice or anything. That will just make me laugh. Besides, she doesn't say much things that are very typically girly. She's strong and blunt and tom boyish. Just read~" Seongwoo insisted in a whiny tone and slapped his thigh with the papers.

 Daniel sighed and turned to face him, leaning casually back on the couch with his arm up and resting his head on his hand. "So, you're just going to leave like that, you jerk? Without a word? I thought I meant something to you."

Seongwoo looked sad yet sweet, his voice low and soft. "I don't want to but I don't have a choice here, baby. I will be back in a month okay? Can't you wait that long for me?"

 Daniel assumed a pouty, sulky expression and turned his head away. "I don't like it. You're not the kind of guy I can trust long-distance. You're going to be all over every girl you see."

 Seongwoo rubbed Daniel’s thigh and slid closer, smiling sweetly at him. "There won't be anyone in the world as beautiful and sexy as you, trust me. I won't be tempted. I can wait a month."

Daniel tripped up on his next line, his eyes widening staring at the hand and his face pinkening slightly. "I'm not so sure about that."

 Daniel looked down, seeming shy and fighting a smile just like the character in the script should. He was a great actor, Seongwoo thought. It was an attractive and new look he wouldn't mind seeing more often.

"Look at me."

Seongwoo got deeper into character. Right now this wasn't the guy who intimidated him to the point they could barely look or talk to each other. He was Seongwoo’s lover and he was shaken up by Seongwoo leaving. I need to reassure him that he's everything to me and no one could be sexier, Seongwoo thought with determination.

Seongwoo lifted Daniel's head up by the chin. Daniel instinctively gasped and leaned forward, his eyes looking captivated. Seongwoo leaned in close, eyes on his with an intense want and gentle love, whispered.

"You always lack confidence. You're the most incredible lover as I've said a thousand times. Maybe I need to remind you how crazy you make me..."

Daniel blinked several times, his face tinting red all the way to his ears, and smiling shyly. He looked at the script further and balked. Seongwoo smirked, thinking of what was next. He waited for Daniel to say his line, refusing to let his chin go. He slid his hands into the silvery short hair at the nape of his neck next and slid closer, angling his head slightly so it would be easier to access.

"Maybe I should remind you how good I am so that you won't dream of thinking of anyone else then..." He stuttered, not sounding the least bit flirty since he was now out of character after having seen there was a kissing scene coming up.

He grabbed Seongwoo's wrists and pulled gently, planning on shifting away now that the end of the page was reached. Seongwoo knew that Daniel wanted to kiss him like the script said but he was fighting it. Seongwoo was annoyed and tired of them fighting the pull between them anymore. So Seongwoo did the boldest thing he had ever done in his life. He jumped forward and pressed their lips together, holding Daniel’s head fast so he couldn't shift away.

Daniel tensed and froze, his eyes wide and blinking rapidly. Seongwoo had his eyes closed, wanting to bask in the feeling. He had wanted this terribly and he was going to take advantage of it for a few moments before Daniel he figured would get angry and shove him away and probably say he was quitting because Seongwoo couldn't be professional. He couldn't and wouldn't anymore though, even if it risked Daniel's anger and losing him as a body guard. Not now that he knew he wasn't the only one feeling things. He was going to openly let Daniel know he liked him and he was going to make a very direct pass that couldn’t so easily be ignored.

 

 

 Daniel debated for seconds that felt like lifetimes as Seongwoo gently pecked him over and over, exploring different sections of his mouth, nipping at his lips, sensually enjoying the kiss all on his own. Daniel could sense Seongwoo was hungry and encouraging him with all his might to kiss back, slightly worried that Daniel would refuse him and flip out.

His instinct was to act that way at first, but then he decided against it. He abhorred the idea of someone replacing him as Seongwoo’s body guard and not doing a good job. He would regret it if he left and something terrible happened to Seongwoo, especially with how bold his sasaeng fans were getting. Maybe it was better to act once on his feelings. It was just a kiss between attracted adults. They didn't have to be rash and separate just from that.

 This was the twenty first century also. Did he really have to bend to the details of every part of the code? Did following the rules mean that he couldn't follow his heart? If so, he wasn't sure he wanted to follow them closely anymore. His heart was full to bursting, now screaming at him with every artery that if he didn't kiss Seongwoo back very soon, then it was going to just cease because hurting and being without Seongwoo from this point on was as good as being dead. He was deep in love with Seongwoo, hopelessly fallen in a hole that he could never hope to get out of now.

Seongwoo nearly broke the kiss to whoop with glee when Daniel held his waist and pressed forward, his plush, sugary lips pushing forward to finally kiss back after a minute. It had been such a long, painful wait. His heart raced and his body tingled with excitement and giddiness. After months of secret longing and trying to get close and lead the other on subtly, he finally was kissing his sexy, moody, intense, never smiling, usually silent body guard!

Daniel was kissing him back hot and passionate with a tinge of gentleness. It was absolute heaven on earth. They kissed back and forth with playful nips and firm, explorative presses until their mouths were swollen and wet and they were both breathless several minutes later. They panted, rubbing their noses and pressing their foreheads together.

"Stay with me tonight, Daniel. In my bed. We can just cuddle and fall asleep. I'm scared to be alone. I'm not asking for more...."

"Hmm, I think I might end up demanding more though. I am not the kind of guy who just peacefully sleeps next to gorgeous gay men who kissed me out of the blue..."

Seongwoo chuckled softly and scratched his hair. Daniel hummed and his eyes fluttered closed like he enjoyed the touch immensely. Seongwoo was glad to keep doing it. He enjoyed the intimacy too. Because he had dreamed about doing this sort of thing often. This moment was literally a dream come true.

"It wasn't so out of the blue. I have been giving you hints the bolder every week. You had to know I was gay and attracted to you."

"I sort of did but I thought maybe I was imagining it. And I convinced myself it was wrong to pursue you. You’re famous and perfect and deserve the best but me, you know..."

"Let me be the judge of what kind of man I want, hmm? That's your problem. Always judging what I need and going about it on your own. Believe me, I appreciate very much your care and protection. But I am a grown man. I can take care of myself and make my own mistakes."

 "I don't want to be a mistake..." Daniel frowned, shifting back.

Seongwoo followed him, shaking his head. "No, you're not certainly. My only mistake is waiting this long to directly come on to you. It's been torture. Now I know the real you. You have been acting and hiding from me..."

Daniel gave a guilty smile and leaned in to peck his lovable freckles. "Indeed I have been. To be honest, I am crazy in love with you. That's why I am overly protective. I have been acting more like your boyfriend because I want to be so very much. I’m your fan and have been for weeks now. I laugh at your jokes at home and I secretly save photos of you and I talk my friend's ears off about how wonderful and pretty you are..."

Seongwoo’s face broke into the brightest grin. "Aw~ here I was scared that you weren't straight and that I annoyed you. I'm glad you're my fan. I would like it even more so if you would be my boyfriend."

Seongwoo kissed his puffy cheek back over where he had discovered Daniel had a dimple. His smile was breathtaking and he did have a cute eye smile. He looked much softer and years younger. He felt happier knowing only he made the broody guy look like this and he finally got Daniel to open up and be himself.

 "I think we're getting ahead of ourselves. Let's cuddle and talk and get to really know each other. There's a million things I have been wanting to tell and ask you."

Seongwoo chuckled. "Wait, so you're not a half mute?"

Daniel joked, "Actually I'm a total chatterbox. I hardly ever shut up, especially about you. In my mind, I tease and joke about you a lot too."

Seongwoo raised a brow. Daniel playfully chomped at it, making Seongwoo chortle. "Wow, this is a shock. I wonder if I ever knew you."

"You do, sort of. You know my professional working image. I will show you the Kang Choding puppy version of me I usually only show at home and with those I care about."

Seongwoo flushed and squeezed his neck. "You care for me?"

 Damirl grinned wider and chuckled. "I care for and like you so much it's practically a hazard. You are so lovable it's really illegal. I should have you arrested for being too perfect."

Seongwoo smiled shyly and giggled. "You are so cheesy. Wow another shock..."

 "Oh, sweet Seongwoo, my cute Ongcheongie, you have no idea. I am going to shock you at least a hundred more times. You are going to be entertained getting to know every bit of me, especially once we get skin deep and below that...”

 Seongwoo shivered and gasped as Daniel said this in a husky accented tone against his jaw. He moaned and dug his fingers in Daniel's shoulders as he sucked under his jaw and grazed him with his teeth.

"Oh, what delicious sounding promises. I change my mind. I want more than cuddling later on tonight. I'm too excited now to wait..." Seongwoo gasped and groaned.

 

 

Daniel sucked hard on Seongwoo’s Adam’s apple as he carried him effortlessly across the living room with Seongwoo’s limbs wrapped around him tight like a koala afraid to fall off the trunk of its favorite tree.

“I always wanted to taste your neck…” Daniel growled as he hungrily explored other places, his hands gripping the dark-haired boy’s pert, little bum.

Seongwoo half-laughed, half moaned with sparks of pleasure shooting like rockets through his system, squeezing the blonde tighter as the merciless attacking teeth and tongue went wild on him. It was the most incredible foreplay he’d had in his life already and they’d barely started anything. He wasn’t sure that his heart was going to survive through this ordeal.

“Are you a vampire?”

Daniel responded by biting near his shoulder harshly. “I was joking!” Seongwoo gasped, digging his fingers into Daniel’s broad shoulders.

Daniel practically threw him on his gray, queen sized bed but at the last second the man tensed so that Seongwoo was able to land on it softly. Daniel knew that he didn’t have the best back condition and he didn’t want him to get hurt. He would never, ever let Seongwoo get hurt again on his watch. The two or three times it had happened because Seongwoo was careless or stubborn and Daniel hadn’t been firm or watching close enough he had immensely regretted it. Daniel sat up, unzipping his cargo jacket while watching the pretty actor sprawled on the bed and heavily blushing and panting with excitement beneath him with a sensual, suggestive smirk.

“Don’t give me ideas, Ongcheongie. I’ve been wanting to take you for months. You don’t have any idea how gorgeous you really are, do you? You drive those fans even the males absolutely crazy, and me so much more so since I am alone with you more often than they are.”

Seongwoo covered his mouth and let out a shy giggle, staring at Daniel’s chest as it became revealed. His eyes went wide and his cheeks heated further, the pit coiling in his stomach becoming like those huge energy balls in Dragonball Z. It was about to explode and consume them, his desire for this silver haired, muscular, sexy, caring man.

“I’m not that special, really. It’s just a pretty face. The rest of me is pretty ‘meh’ I would say. I would much rather have a body, well…like that…You look like perfection to me. You drive me crazier, imagining what you looked like without a shirt.”

Daniel discarded the cloth and moved on to his pants, standing up by the bed. Seongwoo gulped, having a very difficult time breathing as he watched him. Daniel was glorious. His skin was slightly on the tan side of pale, he was glistening from slight sweat, his upper chest and arms were completely ripped like a body builder, he had a cool scar from his gunshot wound on his side, and his shoulders were wide enough to hang a whole load of laundry on. His silver hair was tussled further into his face, hanging over his caterpillar golden eyebrows and his intense, dark, almond eyes, one with a tiny freckle under it were staring at Seongwoo like he was a tiger about to munch on dinner.

“So, you like it? Or am I not as good as what you imagined?” Daniel asked in a husky, deep, slow tone that was incredible sensual and sent shivers all through Seongwoo’s body.

Seongwoo bit his finger, swallowing a moan as his pants tightened uncomfortably. He was hard as a rock now and tenting through his skinny jeans. Daniel noticed and smirked some more as he slid down his pants. He was wearing dark green army style boxer briefs that hugged his thick, honey thighs and his bulge…It was glorious. Long and wide and in general rather well-endowed. Seongwoo ached for it. He reached out his hand, staring at the center of his lover’s thighs. Daniel eagerly gave him what he wanted, taking his hand and walking forward, kneeling on the bed a ways until the bulge and Seongwoo’s hands finally met. Seongwoo cradled, kneaded, and rubbed it curiously and gently. Daniel closed his eyes and let out groans through his parted, plush, red lips pressing his body more firmly into Seongwoo’s hands and bringing him harder against it by pushing on his wrist.

“Hmm, you’re bigger than I imagined. Will it fit?” Seongoo murmured, licking his lips as he stared at Daniel’s special anatomy that he’d been fantasizing about for months in his wet dreams.

“Sure. I will prepare you. You know I would take miles of precautions never to hurt you, Seongwoo…” Daniel whispered, reaching out with his other hand to cup Seongwoo’s cheek and brush his beloved freckles.

Seongwoo looked up at him. They shared a sweet, soft, loving look. “I know you wouldn’t. That sort of caring nature and how you’re always looking out for me first even outside of your job description, that’s what’s made me really fall for you. At first, I just wanted your body, you know. At some point though, I started wanting everything else more.”

“Same here. You want everything else? You got it, babe. I’m done fighting it. I never really stood a chance. I try to throw away how I feel about you and it keeps coming back. It’s a never-ending cycle.”

“Like a boomerang…” Seongwoo observed, smiling into his wrist and kissing it. He was rather enjoying this pause in their foreplay to confess their feelings that they had been hiding for so long.

Daniel bit on his lip, looking nervous. “I think…that I love you. So, if you want more, then you can have more. I will give you anything you ask for.”

Seongwoo beamed and put out both of his arms. “Daniel’s body, Daniel’s heart, Daniel’s love and devotion, everything. Juseyo~”

Daniel chuckled and shook his head. “This Ongcheongie, really. You’re too adorable to resist. Hence you have a seal army I see.”

Daniel nodded towards the corner of the room that was full with seal dolls from his fans, many of which Seongwoo had got because as soon as he’d seen them he’d done his ‘juseyo’ act.

“Over a hundred seals. Now I want a puppy though. A big, pretty, silvery Samoyed.”

“You got him,” Daniel replied and pretended to bark as he laid down the rest of the way into Seongwoo’s open arms.

Seongwoo squeezed him tight and wrapped his legs around his thighs, squealing for a few moments with happiness. Daniel kissed his neck and held the frail, thin body close. They basked in the feeling of just holding each other, being an official couple, all of their dreams coming true finally.

“Hmm, I have too many clothes on. I want to feel your skin on my skin, hing~” Seongwoo whined several minutes later while he was rubbing circles on Daniel’s back.

Daniel sat up and kissed his nose, in the middle of doing a plank. Seongwoo rolled his eyes, thinking Daniel could be such a show off. Then again, he was immensely attracted to how fit Daniel was. He himself couldn’t do a plank for more than twenty seconds. Daniel could probably do it for an hour.

“Before I proceed with getting you naked, may I know just how expensive these clothes are?”

“This suit is worth more than everything in my room combined. Then there’s the silk shirt and tie and boxers…”

Daniel smirked, his eyes twinkling under a raised eyebrow. “Silk boxers? They must be matching. Purple?”

Seongwoo grinned shyly and nodded, his red tint traveling up to his ears. “Hmm, you know how I like to match accessories…”

“Such a fashion nerd. You should just wear simple black all the time like me. You look great in it and it’s worry free.”

While they had a discussion about fashion preferences and teased each other lightly, Daniel took off Seongwoo’s clothes bit by bit until he was down to purple silk boxers. He carefully folded them on the bed, not wanting such expensive clothes to get wrinkled or become covered in any dust or lint that may be on the floor since the busy actor last cleaned.

“Why are you staring? Please don’t~ I don’t exercise so I’m not fit at all…” Seongwoo whined, burying his face in the seal bear pillow he had which Daniel happened to, funnily enough, have the same one at home.

Daniel was laying on his side with his head crocked up, looking Seongwoo up and down in appreciation and curiosity. Seongwoo’s body was just as pale and thin as his arms were, except his legs were covered in dark, curly, thick patches of hair which was surprising. Somehow Daniel had thought that Seongwoo would hate body hair so he’d have to shave. He rather liked that though because that meant he didn’t have to worry about shaving either which he found bothersome and painful.

Daniel pet Seongwoo’s blushing face, relishing in how soft it was. They looked at each other and shared the millionth silly smile in the past hour.

“It feels great to get to know the real you, Niel. I had no idea you could smile and joke this much.”

“I’m glad you like my real personality. Sorry that I hid myself from you. It was just that I didn’t want you falling for me because it complicates things. And that I should maintain a certain image in this field...”

“That’s okay. I understand. It’s been fun cracking you open bit by bit, like a mystery.”

“There’s nothing mysterious about me,” Daniel laughed, pinching Seongwoo’s cheek, though he had almost no fat there.

Seongwoo reached out and pinched his in return. “I always wanted to do that. You have such fluffy, marshmallow cheeks,” he giggled, stretching and twisting Daniel’s fatty skin.

“You are a mystery. There’s a million questions that I want to ask.”

Daniel pulled Seongwoo into his arms to start the agreed on cuddling time. They pushed aside their desires to get to know each other, the proper way that relationships should progress.

“Ask away. I promise I will give you more than one-word answers now,” Daniel murmured, kissing his bare forehead as he snuggled into his chest and tossed an arm and leg over.

“For starters, I want to know your likes and dislikes…”

The next hour or so, Seongwoo and Daniel listened to music while cuddling in bed and discussing various things to get to know each other better. They were pleasantly surprised to find that despite their personality and size differences, they had a plethora of things in common. Including the number of moles on their bodies. They counted and kissed each one, tickling each other in between. That eventually turned into caresses, nips, and sucks, leading to some passionate foreplay.

“Seongwoo…do you feel comfortable enough with me now? I’m not sure I can wait much longer, sorry to say, though I’m really trying to be a perfect gentleman here…” Daniel murmured against his chest where he’d been nipping at a lovely mole he found there which was his new favorite he had decided.

Seongwoo hummed into his hair that he was brushing. “I think that’s sufficient enough for now. We’re going to have a lot of car rides and weekend with which to talk more. I’m sufficiently turned on now too, so I don’t think I can wait either.”

“Perfect. Time to shock you…”

“Not literally I hope,” Seongwoo giggled.

“That could be arranged,” Daniel chuckled, knowing well that the clothes he wore to work certainly made him seem like he was in to that sort of kinky thing.

Seongwoo moaned and dug his fingers into the blankets as Daniel spread fire with hot kisses, sucks and bites all over his body. He took off his boxers and teased him with his lips to the point of tears. Then, he gave Seongwoo the blowjob of the century, the first shock factor. Seongwoo was whimpering, crying out Daniel’s nickname, and scarring his back with his scratching fingers.

When he finally came, Daniel swallowed eagerly and lovingly massaged his tired hands and legs from all the tension he’d put into them. Seongwoo was exhausted but excited and curious for the next step. He flipped over and got on his knees, presenting his best aspects to his lover.

“Very nice, Seongwoo. I can’t believe this is finally all mine. You have no idea how many times I’ve stared at your gorgeous bum…” Daniel murmured with appreciation as he caressed and stared at it.

Seongwoo buried his face in the pillow, feeling embarrassed at being so exposed and even more so by the sheer amount of how much he liked it, to the point he was getting hard again which shouldn’t have even been physically possible. He gasped and groaned, clutching the seal bear pillow as Daniel licked and bit all over his ass cheeks, then spread them wide to lick and suck at his rim.

“Ready for the next shock…”

Seongwoo gulped as he recalled the size of the bulge he had seen earlier. He gazed over curiously as Daniel removed his boxers and pumped himself. It was even thicker than he remembered.

“It will fit, Seongwoo. I won’t hurt you or take it fast, I promise,” Daniel reassured, petting his back.

Seongwoo gulped again and nodded, not able to take his eyes off of it. “Okay, if you say so…” he squeaked, not fully convinced.

He was not that flexible, to be honest, and his hole he wasn’t sure could stretch to fit that much. Daniel was the thickest guy he had ever been with. Daniel crawled up to his head as his fingers went to his rim. Seongwoo took Daniel eagerly into his mouth, moaning around his girth as Daniel stretched and plunged deep inside him, first one finer, then adding two and then even three which was another whole new experience for Seongwoo.

“This is about the size of it, Seongwoo. You can handle it see…” Daniel reassured gently as he pet Seongwoo’s hair and slowly rocked into his open mouth.

Seongwoo had his eyes closed, focused on keeping his body relaxed, enjoying the feeling, and moving his tongue in the most pleasurable way against Daniel’s pulsing cock. It was incredibly tasty to the point he almost didn’t want to let Daniel take it out of his mouth. They should really make lollipops this flavor for gay men, he thought.

“Seongwoo, I’m enjoying this too but if you don’t stop…” Daniel gasped, gripping his hair tight and suddenly thrusting much harder.

Seongwoo regrettably pulled his mouth off. Daniel collapsed on the bed, panting hard. Seongwoo noticed that his cock was an angry purplish hue and leaking and his body was covered in a thick sheen of sweat. Seongwoo smiled proudly at the thought that he had made ‘God Daniel’ that level of excited with his skills alone, and he hadn’t even done that that many times.

“That was really good, babe. I had no idea you could do that. You seem so innocent and sweet all the time.”

Seongwoo cackled evilly and winked. “That’s my duality charm. I’m really not innocent at all. I thought about you and did things you wouldn’t be able to imagine I bet almost every night…”

Daniel pulled him in for a sweet kiss. Seongwoo turned it into a hot make-out session to prove his point that he wasn’t so cute and sweet as Daniel thought. He was a dirty man who wanted to do very dirty things with his extremely hot body guard.

“You’re going to have to show me exactly what you did later, so that I can break my ‘Mary Sue’ image of you then. For now, I have some other activities in mind…”

“I’m finally going to know what being ripped is like…” Seongwoo groaned, half with anticipation and half with anxiousness.

Daniel chuckled in that husky, deep, sexy way of his as he went around behind Seongwoo who was still on his knees. “You’re stretched out perfectly fine now, I promise. Let’s see how ready you are…”

Seongwoo gasped and buried his face in the stuffed animal clutching it tight as Daniel removed his three fingers for the first time. The sensation of feeling empty and the cool air on his skin was remarkable. He groaned and shook his hips, feeling a desperate urge to be filled with something thick and warm again. Daniel obliged by slowly putting in his cock inch by inch. Seongwoo thought he would tense up but rather he felt relieved as he let out a sigh and relaxed. Being filled felt amazing, like he was being completed and warmed up from the inside out. He felt unbelievably happy, enough that he could almost cry.

Daniel didn’t move once he was fully inside and their thighs were touching. He held Seongwoo’s hands and kissed his shoulders.

“You’re okay, right?”

“I’m a bit shocked, but not in pain at all, no…” he murmured, taking one of Daniel’s hands and kissing over his elegant, slightly more caramel in comparison fingers. “I think it’s okay to start moving. I hope that your fierce personality applies to that.”

“You fit me like a glove, Seongwoo. And it’s so warm and tight. I’m afraid that I won’t last more than a few thrusts. It might take me some time to get used to you and build my tolerance. I hope you understand. It’s a compliment really. Shows just how much I’ve desired you.”

“Even a minute in blissful heaven is better than a lifetime without it, Niel. Don’t feel ashamed because I’m not going to ridicule you. Please move now, I want to feel you…” he pleaded.

Daniel gave him a few more sweet kisses along his shoulders. Then, he pulled back. They both gasped and groaned at the little amount of friction. Daniel held Seongwoo’s hips and paused. They both tensed and held their breaths. Then Daniel thrust quick and deep just once. They jolted, jerked, and nearly toppled onto the bed, both of them biting their lips and barely resisting from crying out with pleasure.

“Oh~ Damn, that feels fantastic. I love you, Seongwoo…” Daniel groaned and then pecked his skin several times.

Seongwoo buried his head further in the pillow, gasping for breath, his thighs shaking from the difficulty of holding himself up, his insides searing, aching, and tingling with the most pleasant fiery sensation.

“M-more…”

“Seongwoo, maybe we should just…”  
“More, dammit!”

“Shh, okay, okay…”

Daniel held his breath and gripped Seongwoo’s hips tight again as he pulled out. The friction on the way out was near enough to cripple him. He closed his eyes, seeing stars, willing himself not to explode just yet. Seongwoo deserved more than two thrusts on their first love making session and his pride would be forever damaged if that were to occur.

“You can do it, Daniel. You can do this,” he breathed in and out, muttering to himself.

Seongwoo chuckled softly into the pillow, hoping Daniel didn’t hear it because it was likely to wound his pride. He was full of pride yet again that he was able to bring such a sexy, skillful man to the bring this fast. The way that their bodies fit though was magical. Seongwoo figured if they had reversed, he would have come on the first thrust most likely. It was like they were made for each other body, mind, and soul. Why had they been fighting this incredible attraction for so long? It all seemed like such a ridiculous waste of time and energy now.

“Niel, please~” he cried out and shifted his hips.

Daniel gripped his hips hard enough to bruise, steeling himself. He tensed up his muscles, closed his eyes tight, and thrust in hard and deep. Seongwoo gasped. Daniel grunted. They both saw bursts of light behind their eyelids. This time, Daniel didn’t pause. He pulled back out immediately and thrust again.

“Ah, Niel!” Seongwoo cried, nearly buckling under the larger man’s body as a pair of thick, muscular thighs rammed his thin, shaking ones.

Daniel held him up as he thrust wildly, getting harder and deeper each time, grunting in the most primal, masculine fashion, their slapping thighs resounding in the air. Seongwoo focused on the delicious, searing pain and feeling of fullness as his hard cock glided effortlessly in and out of him, his passion coming out in cries that he couldn’t control or was fully aware of.

“Niel! Yes! Fuck! That’s good! Uh~ Ahn~ Niel, Daniel, ah~ More! Yes, please! More~ Ahn, yes, yes, oh yes~”

Seongwoo collapsed on the bed, not able to hold himself up anymore even with Daniel’s help. Daniel shoved his thighs wide and continued to pound into him in the bed, now biting his shoulder blade, drool seeping from his mouth as he panted, grunted, and groaned. Seongwoo was amazed at how strong and fierce Daniel was able to thrust, even if he had been imagining and hoping for it with how he appeared on duty. For a moment he was worried how he was going to walk or take a shower tomorrow because he was clearly going to be terribly sore.

“Come, Niel. Come for me. Feels so good. Ahn~” Seongwoo cried, trying to encourage Daniel and bring him over the edge.

Daniel could have come a couple minutes before but he was holding back for Seongwoo’s and his pride’s sake. He had waited and hoped for this moment for over a hundred days now. He couldn’t let either of them feel any sort of disappointment or regret. He loved Seongwoo and he was going to give him a first time he could never forget no matter how many times they did it after, because it was meaningful.

Daniel turned Seongwoo to his side and pressed his legs together, continuously thrusting as hard, fast, and deep as he could go. Seongwoo held his head and brought him in for a noisy, sloppy, breathless kiss. Daniel then let himself go, pouring out his feelings along with his semen into the most perfect person that he had ever met. His Ongcheongie, his Ong Seongwoo, his beloved Prince of Asia actor that he was sworn to protect and cherish.

After he was spent, Seongwoo rolled over and pulled Daniel to his chest. Daniel was breathing hard, sweating a river, and too exhausted to move even a finger. Seongoo brushed his hair and held him close, kissing all along his forehead.

“Good job, Niel. You worked hard. Thanks for holding back. That was wonderful. Even better than anything I imagined combined. I love you…”

Daniel tried to say it back but he was breathless and hoarse so it was muffled. Seongwoo understood. He had understood loud and clear, through every bit of their love making that started hours ago. Daniel loved him more intensely than he could have ever hoped. He had been loving him for a long time and showing it in subtle ways that Seongwoo had merely thought was him being too engrossed in his job. Daniel had been protecting him for his own sake rather than the attachment he felt to his ‘code’. That made Seongwoo happier than any sort of verbal confession ever could.

The boomerang of love had been long ago tossed and finally returned tonight. Now they both had caught on to it, each hand on one end, bonded together in an enclosed circle. Seongwoo recited a poem he suddenly remembered as he caressed and held his exhausted lover who was sinking into the folds of peaceful sleep.

“I'm a fool who only looks at you...People keep teasing me but whatever they say I don't care. I only need you....Your face, your actions, every single little thing, I love it. Look at me, only me... Only stick close to me. Oh my love, don't go..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> Welcome to the first one-shot of this series and therefore the first one-shot in my Wanna One fic history. Actually I have only tried writing a one-shot like one or two other times I think. I'm not sure if I'm any good at it, I know that it's ridiculously long. I think that others will be shorter but I had a lot of ideas for this particular story. Do you think it's too long? Did it drang along? Was there some things you think should have been cut out or things that should have been added? I really want to hear from people who read or write one-shots regularly!
> 
> I was inspired by super sexy, fierce, commander style KANG DAN in their comebacks recently. He's so freaking hot it's impossible to handle. Like it's impossible to handle my Peaches feels so I'm not even sure if I'm more of a Slate or more of a Peach at this point urgh. The pains of having two number one biases you can't ever choose between. Also, everyone who likes Seongwoo has a fetish for him with showing off his forehead and being in a suit looking like a movie star. I have had in my mind for a long time that I wanted to see or try out writing a story where Ong is an actor and Dan is a body guard. Because, honestly, as any Ongniel shipper will know if you watch them closely, Dan is often protecting Seongwoo in real life so it's rather perfect. Such as at the airport. Not only protecting, he also clears the way for him, helps him out in case he were to get clumsy, and also leads him so that he doesn't get lost. Daniel acts like a choding often with others but many times he acts much more mature and caring around Seongwoo, despite the fact that Seongwoo is older. I love this dynamic of them so much, as I belive many other Scientists do, so I just had to write about it and with how hot Dan has been recently I figured this was the best time. This story just basically wrote itself in my mind. It was fun to write and really didn't take me that long compared to some other stories.
> 
> I hope that you liked it. Please leave a comment and recommend to your friends. ^^ 


	3. Twilight(2sung)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jisung is a time jumper working for a secret agency called the Oracle that re-writes history and protects the future of the Earth. He was fine with travelling into the past and slowing his aging process and never getting close to anyone. Then, he found himself in a relationship thirty years ago. In the end, he had to go back to the future and his lover, Ha Sungwoon, decided to freeze himself so they could be together thirty years in the future. Jisung is now waiting for him to wake up from being frozen inside the freezing center but it's past his time to be unfrozen. In these rare cases, people who don't take well to the chemicals are left in a coma in which they have a hard time waking up from if they ever wake up. Jisung stays there every day and night, hoping for his lover to wake up and be okay, hating and blaming himself for not being able to convince Sungwoon not to throw his life away like this just for him. Will Sungwoon be okay and will the two be together after waiting thirty years?
> 
> Warning: This chapter is angsty

I’m missing you I’m missing you  
Even when you’re right next to me  
I’ll be with you I’ll be with you  
My reason is you

Fall in love girl  
Stay, just like now  
In this frozen time, now  
Stay, just like now  
Stay with me until always

Twilight twilight twilight twilight  
Want you to stay  
Stay with me

      - Twilight by Wanna One

 

 

Jisung was laying in the empty, open metal capsule, staring up at the shining silvery, plated ceiling, sighing every ten seconds. He had been here the last three days, in this godforsaken, ice cold cubicle, waiting for the time to come. He had never been good at waiting and the fact that he was still here was a real achievement considering his low level of patience. The thing that he was waiting for was worth it though and he didn’t want to miss the moment it happened. In fact, if he missed it, then he would use all his leftover time jump powers to turn the time back against the Oracle’s wishes.

Jisung had been working for the Oracle for his entire adult life. Jisung was one of the rare people in the universe blessed with the ability to time travel. The Oracle was an agency that collected people with this power to jump through time and used them to change the world for the better. When something terrible happened in the future, the 'time jumpers' were sent back to change it. He had never thought that he hated his job until thirty years ago, when he’d found a reason that he wanted to stay in the past and not ever return to the future. Staying in the past meant that he would age much faster, which he had been direly against.

Jisung knew he was beautiful and he wanted to keep it that way. He put time and money into products and surgeries to keep his skin looking youthful and his hair extra volumous, basically slowing down his aging process to extremes. He was the healthiest, youngest looking person in the Oracle despite he’d been with them over fourty years. One of the blessed things about his powers combined with Oracle advanced technology was that he aged three to four times slower than the average human.

There had been one time thirty years ago though that had made him almost stay in the past to throw that all away. It was back when he had been sent to stop an assassination attempt on the president that would prevent North and South Korea from uniting. Apparently this would later cause a world war who's nuclear effects would destroy the ecosystem, so it was a big deal that he was considered despite his inexperience to be sent here. Then again, there were very few time travelers that looked or spoke any Korean, so the Oracle really had no such better options.

At that time, he had run into an athlete and body guard of the president. His name had been Ha Sungwoon. Despite he was quite small in stature, he was buff and his flexible, thick legs allowed him to jump incredibly high to the point that when Jisung first saw him jump on top of a car without even getting a running start that he had some sort of super powers like himself. As he observed the man, however, he learned that Sungwoon was just an exceptionally gifted human. He was also kind, funny, sweet, confident, caring, handsome and an amazing lover.

Yes, that’s right, Jisung had had a relationship with Sungwoon. It wasn’t necessarily something that the Oracle forbade, having relations with people in the past. However, it wasn’t something that anyone in the Oracle that had previously experienced it would recommend and because of their horror stories, it had been something that Jisung avoided for the first ten years that he had been with the agency. He could imagine that loving someone, keeping secrets from them, and leaving them would be immensely painful for all involved. He did want to experience love at some point but he also didn’t want to experience pain.

In the time jumpers’ cases, it wasn’t necessarily possible for them to have a happy, successful relationship even if they were with someone from their original time in the future. Their assignments could keep them away from their home towns for anywhere between days to years and they had no way to make calls through time generation gaps yet. Jisung had a hard enough time dealing with his parents who he only saw, if he was lucky, a month out of every two years. They were allowed about a month break to be with their families and friends between each assignment. However, the more recognition that you got, the more dangerous and complicated your assignments were and they came more frequently so you ended up going home less and less as the years with the Oracle drug on.

After falling in love, Jisung had considered giving up the Oracle and aging like any other human, living out his life with some mundane job and sharing a small apartment with Sungwoon. He was convinced that he would be happy. However, Sungwoon convinced him out of it. He had said that Jisung’s parents would miss him terribly. He had also convinced him by playing on the fact that he liked his job, mentioning how important it was and how he had a duty to protect the world and all the people in it from the bad events occurring in the future, like Superman. Sungwoon had promised that he would put all of his savings into freezing himself until he reached Jisung’s time. Jisung wouldn’t be aging until the past caught up with the future, so he wouldn’t look much different than he had at the time he met Sungwoon. Jisung was worried because this was a rather newly introduced technology and he had no way of knowing the success rate or side effects. He was worried about his lover and feeling burdened that his lover would make that huge of a sacrifice for him.

 

 

Jisung lifted his hand up as if reaching towards the ceiling. There was nothing in this room though that he would want to hold, except for the frozen body inside the closed metal capsule next to him. The person inside was right next to him yet felt light years and galaxies away somehow. The rooms where the people frozen were kept in the same spot so people waiting for them in the future would be easy to find him. They were kept in alphabetical order. This entire room was full of people with the surname staring with an H. Sungwoon’s surname had been Ha.

Ha Sungwoon. It was a name that Jisung was very fond of and recalled saying often, in the past with laughter or sweet ness but now mostly in his sleep which was usually fretful. Since Sungwoon and the heartbreak that followed had happened, he had thrown himself even more into his work, hoping that the time would pass faster that way. Still, it had never felt fast enough and though he had moments of happiness it always felt like he was somehow incomplete and something was missing. He realized what it was when he came in here about the time that he was meant to be waking up. It was a piece of his heart. Sungwoon had unknowingly taken it with him.

“What’s taking you so long, Woonie? Something must have gone wrong, like I feared…Why you never listen to me and bring all this hardship and unhappiness onto yourself you never deserved…Maybe it would have been better if you had never met me…” Jisung sighed.

The gray metal plates and bolts above him became blurry and appeared almost like a gray ocean swirling about above him as his eyes started swimming in tears. His heart that had been slowly beating for years was now on overdrive and stinging as if it was being punched until the point of bruising. He was full of worry and heartbreak, his thoughts taking every negative turn imaginable.

Jisung had told him that there were risks and that he absolutely shouldn’t do it. He had told him again and again, even cried, begging him not to do it and just try to let Jisung go and forget about him. Sungwoon had absolutely refused, insisting that he would never be able to forget Jisung and living on not knowing that they would see each other again was as good as being dead. Jisung had promised that he would find him after thirty years but Sungwoon had hated that idea because he would be an elderly man and he wouldn’t be able to spend much time with Jisung before he died. He had insisted until the day that Jisung had finished his mission and the Oracle insisted he return to his time that he was going to use his money to do it.

The scientists had said that as the time that Sungwoon had asked for had passed, they turned off the chemical that kept him in a forced deep slumber. His capsule wasn’t frozen like the others but it was still lit up. Sungwoon was being administered regular injections to keep his health up and heart beating, though in that state you hardly needed much to keep on going. Now he was in a regular coma. Many people who had volunteered to become frozen, as Jisung had been told, woke up immediately, but there were occasional cases where they didn’t wake up for years later or others none at all. It had been three days passed now and Jisung hadn’t left the place except to get food and go to the bathroom. The scientists let him stay there as long as he didn’t disturb others or try to open up the capsule. They had assured him as soon as Sungwoon woke up, they would open the capsule and let them meet. They had repeatedly assured him that all of Sungwoon’s vitals were normal and there shouldn’t be any reason why he wouldn’t eventually wake up, though they couldn’t estimate when that would be in the future.

Jisung’s eyes closed, tears falling out the sides and rolling down his cheeks as he clutched over his heart. “Ha Sungwoonnie…Please wake up…”

 

 

Over thirty years previously~

 

“Ji Ji, stop crying already, babe. I told you you’re not a pretty crier. I mean, you’re pretty every other time but at this moment not so much.”

“Shut up! I don’t care about being pretty. I’m upset you won’t listen to me. What if you never wake up or you die in the middle of the procedure because you find out your body doesn’t react well to the chemical. I will have lost you forever and I won’t even freaking know about it until years later…”

Jisung clung to Sungwoon and sobbed into his broad chest. Sungwoon held the taller, thinner man tight in a warm embrace. Jisung loved the way that Sungwoon hugged him and how he was always warm and gentle, like a soft, fluffy pillow. Sungwoon pet his hair and shushed him, rocking his body slightly back and forth.

“That’s a risk I am willing to take. I would rather die trying to be with you the only way that we can than not be with you at all or be with you as an old man where I will probably die of a heart attack if we try to make love,” Sungwoon lightly joked and chuckled in that deep, dorky way of his.

Jisung pouted and smacked his arm several times. “Don’t make jokes. I don’t like the idea of you dying. Don’t even mention it. It better not happen. Or I’ll…god, I don’t even know what I’ll do. My life will feel so much more meaningless that it is now.”

Sungwoon rubbed his arms and smiled sweetly.“Your life can’t feel meaningless, no matter what happens to me, Jisung. You have a job as a superhero. You need to keep going on and protect the world. Promise me you won’t quit. What you’re doing is too important.”

Jisung sniffled. “I promise…but…”

“You can’t change my mind. You know how stubborn I am.”

“As an ox…” Jisung sniffled again and laughed slightly.

He could think of a hundred moments where Sungwoon had done the exact opposite of others wanted him to do, sometimes just to spite them. That personality trait of his could be particularly annoying since Jisung was the exact opposite and lived to please people and usually just went with the flow all the time. Sometimes he adored and admired it though, as he did everything about Sungwoon. He was the most unique person he’d ever met, which is how he’d been unable to resist his advances.

“I am going to do this. I want to be with you in the future. With both of us at a normal adult age. So we can enjoy a normal, happy relationship until we’re old and gray. You can quit the Oracle then and speed up your aging process. Only then. Okay? If you don’t promise me, I will tickle attack you.”

Jisung tensed and grabbed his wrists. “No tickle monster, please!” he pleaded.

Sungwoon nuzzled his face and then gave him butterfly kisses sporadically all over, getting rid of his tears. Jisung couldn’t help but smile. Sungwoon made him happy, especially when he was being sweet.

“That’s much better. Your smile is as beautiful as I imagine an angel would be. When I wake up, please be smiling just like this. No tears, no angry words, not even if it takes longer than we think to wake up. I don’t want to wake up to anyone or anything else.”

“It’s a promise…”

 

 

The time that he had said goodbye to Sungwoon just before he had returned to the future with his powers had been around twilight. He saw on his watch that had stars as a background that it was about twilight now. He looked over at the capsule again and prayed to every god he could think of in every language he had ever learned.

Jisung was ready to move on with life. He was ready to finally speed up his aging, let go of his beauty, stay in the future, give up his job and stop travelling. All he wanted was a comfortable life with Ha Sungwoon by his side. He wanted Sungwoon to meet his parents, he wanted to get married, he wanted to get a big house with a bunch of animals and adopt a kid or two. He wanted to settle down and have a real future instead of always living in and thinking of the past, which was often just incredibly painful as fun and as exotic as it could be. He could afford it after forty years of dangerous work at the Oracle.

“With this frozen time, I’m missing you. Even when you’re right next to me, I’m missing you. My reason to live on is you. Wake up and stay with me, just like know stay with me. I’ll be with you forever. Sungwoon, please wake up. It’s twilight. I’m missing you terribly…” he whispered, his tears dripping onto the white tile floor like ‘drip, drop, drip’ in their own solemn tune.

One time when he’d been able to go back in the past close to the time when he had met Sungwoon, he went to the freezing center and found out through the news that Sungwoon had won the article around a year after he had left. Sungwoon had sold all of his things, said goodbye to his family and friends, and then put all of his earnings and winnings into freezing himself for thirty years. Jisung had been angry when he found this out. He could have lived life comfortably as a millionaire and never had to work again. All for the sake of love for him, Sungwoon put himself in an icy metal tube for thirty years, risking his own life.

Jisung cried himself into a fretful sleep in the empty capsule next to Sungwoon’s like he did here and there throughout the last few days. His dreams were depressing, terrifying nightmares of a life of solitude and being haunted by Sungwoon’s ghost which wasn’t half as pleasant as his memories of him had been.

 

 

Jisung woke up to the sound of a machine door opening. He jumped up immediately, his heart racing. He was scared to hope because it could be someone else with an ‘H’ name and not Sungwoon as he wasn’t the only one waiting for people to wake up in here. He had been disappointed twenty something times because of this already. His eyes widened as the metal lid of the capsule slowly rose, revealing a body inside with familiar wavy dark hair and small yet stocky posture dressed in a canary sweater and blue jeans. The time finally came!

“Sungwoon!” he chocked out and jumped off the capsule he had been resting on to rush to the other one.

Jisung touched the pale hand that was slightly twitching, his entire body shaking. It gripped his back but not with much strength. Jisung smiled wide and fought his tears as he watched his lover’s face. Sungwoon’s eyes were fluttering and his thick brows furrowed as if he were trying to open his eyes but finding it very difficult. Sure, it must be difficult to wake up after sleeping heavily for thirty years, it doesn't mean anything is wrong, Jisung told himself, curbing his impatient impulses. He wanted to shake him and force him up to ensure he was okay and hasten their reunion but he didn’t think the scientists would approve of that at all.

Jisung gripped his hand tight, anxiously bouncing on his feet and watching the handsome man’s face he recalled perfectly with expectation. Sungwoon’s eyes continued to flutter and then the spindly, ebony lashes finally shot up. Jisung gasped softly as he saw a pair of round, dark chocolate orbs that were soft and warm like freshly baked brownies. His eyes immediately went to Jisung. His hand squeezed tighter around Jisung’s and his rather chapped lips curved up into a smile.

“Sungwoon…you’re awake…Oh, thank god and holy virgin Mary and baby Jesus and Buddha and Zeus…” he spat out at lightening speed in one breath.

Jisung then threw himself on Sungwoon’s chest and burst into tears. Sungwoon raised a hand slowly up to pat his hair. He tried to say something but his voice couldn’t come out. The scientists had told Jisung that Sungwoon would have problems moving and talking for awhile after he woke up so he would need to treat him like a sick hospital patient or a baby. Jisung didn’t mind. He was ecstatic and thanking the heavens again in every language he knew, this time out loud, for Sungwoon just being awake and alive.

Sungwoon squeezed Jisung’s hand off and on and continued to pat his head while Jisung sobbed and cuddled into him.

“You stupid koala. I can’t believe you won the lottery and spent all that money on this. Thirty years of your life wasted in an ice box. Just for me. I am hardly worth that. I could have died on my missions and left you all alone in the future. I can’t believe how foolish you are. I love you and I’ve missed you so dang much though. So, I’m not going to be able to stay angry at you for much longer…I have spent thirty years being angry and scared and worried, too many negative emotions to properly stomach.”

Sungwoon eventually sat up with Jisung’s help. He narrowed his eyes and pointed to his mouth. Jisung knew immediately what he wanted. He wiped his tears and put on a wide, sweet, welcoming smile. Sungwoon had said that he wanted Jisung to greet him only with a smile when he woke up, after all. Jisung would do anything for his foolish, love-sick boyfriend.

“It’s good to see you again, Woonie. Thanks for doing this for me and for waking up in one piece.”

“You’re…welcome…love you…you’re….still…so…beautiful…my angel...” Sungwoon croaked out while holding his throat and it took him nearly a minute to get those words out.

Jisung smiled softly and pet his still full, marshmallowy cheeks. Sungwoon subtly leaned into his touch and brushed the back of his hand with shaky fingers, putting in an intense amount of effort to even move that much.

“Thank you. I won’t be able to stay beautiful for much longer now that you’re here. It’s time for me to quit my job, stop the age slowing procedures, and settle down to grow old with you, my Koala bear.”

Sungwoon looked like he really wanted to say something but he didn’t have the energy. Instead, he closed his eyes and pursed out his lips. The cutie wanted Jisung to kiss him. Jisung laughed and wiped some happy and pity tears out of his eyes. He had to put a hand over his heart and try to calm himself, remembering what the scientists had said. Sungwoon was going to be perfectly fine, just like he had been long before. He just needed time to recover. Then he would be joking, laughing, teasing Jisung, and jumping cars in no time and Jisung would be free from mothering him. Well, for the most part. From then on, he would be ‘wife-ing’ him.

“I see that your kissing addiction hasn’t changed a bit, mister. Just this once but you should know in the future that’s seen as a health hazard in public spaces.”

Jisung held his head in his hand and turned his head as he slowly swooped in to brush a sweet, gentle, long-lasting kiss on Sungwoon’s chapped lips. Sungwoon pressed for more and held fast to Jisung’s wrists when he pulled away. Jisung chuckled deep in his throat. Sungwoon still knew him well and it turns out Jisung really hadn’t changed much as that had been exactly what he’d been about to do.

He gave Sungwoon a couple more sweeter and more playful kisses which still had pools of complicated emotions behind them that Sungwoon would eventually learn about as they discussed what he’d been through these long thirty years of waiting, regretting, and worrying. They didn’t need to rush though. Sungwoon would be able to talk more in a few weeks and then they had years ahead of them. Because Jisung wasn’t planning on leaving or letting Sungwoon disappear from his side over again. From this twilight moment on, they were going to be inseparable.

“Missed you….dreamed of…you…” Sungwoon whispered, his eyes fluttering open and full of wetness and intense emotion like Jisung’s.

Jisung sniffled but was too busy wiping away Sungwoon’s just fallen tears to deal with his own this time. They both were smiling serenely like the love-sick fools they were. Who else would wait thirty years or freeze themselves for thirty years for someone that they had barely known a couple of months? It was only possible for one sort of people, soul mates. That's exactly what Jisung and Sungwoon were.

“I dreamed of you too. Every night. We must have still been connected somehow. Our consciousnesses floating through the cosmos while we were out. No more dreams now. No more darkness, for either of us. We’re going to be side by side in the day and the night time, never needing to be away or missing each other. I promise you that I’ll always be with you because my reason to live on this whole time and even now is you and only you. As yours has been for me, I know. Our frozen time is over. Let’s start a new life and new journey together, Woonie. Let’s be happy.”

“Yes…be happy…like I am now…” Sungwoon whispered in a soft, slightly raspy voice before Jisung shushed him and insisted that he no longer talk unless he desperately needed to let him know something and he was too weak to give him hand signals.

From then, the scientists checked on him while Jisung took a decent, much needed rest in the neighboring capsule. They freed them both to go once the sun came up. Jisung took Sungwoon shopping, pushing him in a wheel chair because although he could stand and move his legs he wasn’t strong enough yet to walk. They bought things that he needed and that Sungwoon and Jisung would need if they were going to be living together. Following that, they went back to what was from then on going to be their home until Jisung and Sungwoon picked a larger, more permanent one out together.

Jisung put away the things, helped Sungwoon wash and get in pajamas, then they laid in bed, cuddling and smiling blissfully as they stared at each other until sleep came over them. As long as they could both recall, it was the happiest day of their lives and it brought on the most pleasant dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to my first ever one-shot that's not Ongniel~ Woo! I know this couple isn't that popular but I have been a fan of this couple since a long time ago and I think they suit each other. I got this idea from the lyrics 'frozen time' and 'even when you're by my side, I'm missing you.' I don't know how I jumped to this radical idea so quickly, maybe it was because I was spacing out in my translation class and it was 8pm and I was on my third cup of coffee haha. I know it was super angsty and pretty short but at least there was a happy ending. I've never written something like this so I'm really curious what your thoughts are, so please leave a comment and on Boomerang as well because I worked really hard on that one and I'm kind of super proud of it. I hope that you will keep your eyes out for 2sung moments because they are there. Especially they talk often and Jisung smacks Sungwoon who was obviously teasing him hehe. See you around for the next one-shot, which I think will be Ongniel because my friend's b-day is coming up and it's a request from her ^^
> 
> <3 Raina


	4. I Promise U(Ongniel as Soulmates)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kang Daniel and Ong Seongwoo met one spring day at the start of a new boarding school. They ended up as roommates and instantly clicked. Since they were opposites, they complimented each other. Seongwoo was like light to Daniel's darkness and he brought out new sides of Daniel despite Daniel's resistance and stubbornness. After two years, the two roommates/best friends were close to the point they were known as one of the 'campus couples' and people questioned their relationship constantly. It wasn't until Seongwoo started looking into the definition of soulmates and Daniel left to study in Canada for two months that the two started to look deeply at what they meant to each other.

"I met you for the first time,

When the cherry blossoms fell.

The day when I felt strange shivering and excitement with a bit of fear.

I’m telling you now that I was scared.  
I thought maybe it was the end back then.

When I was clumsy, you embraced me.

When I was foolish, you hugged me.

I still remember the way you looked at me.

I will keep it in my heart forever.

I promise you that I won’t forget you.

You made me be reborn.

I promise you, I promise you.

I’ll be treat you better.

I promise you that I won’t let you go.

You became a light to me.

I promise you, I promise you.

On this shining spring day, I promise you."

 

- I Promise You by Wanna One

 

 

“Hmm, interesting...." Ong Seongwoo a student studying English in Mireu International Foreign Language Boarding School hummed.

 His feet were resting up on the wall, his long, black, skinny-legged claws even been able to reach up to nearly the ceiling as he took the top bunk. His head was resting on a large, white seal that was his favorite animal because a long time ago this babysitter noona he crushed on named Rave bought it for him at the zoo and said it looked like him, especially at the mouth and the freckles. They perfectly matched the unique triangular constellation marks on his cheek.

 Since then, he had felt drawn towards white fluffy seal dolls and collected them. He currently had 17 in his bed, though three were on loan to his roommate, the ones wearing heart glasses, a flower crown, and a bunny hat.

"What is? Tell me, tell me, t t t t tell me~" Kang Daniel, his roommate and best friend of nearly two years sang, poking his blond head out from the bottom bed and moving his fingers in a comical, sloppy copy of the dance.

"Yah, Seongwoo hyung! Tell me!"

Seongwoo laughed in disbelief and grabbed one of his seals and bopped Daniel on the head with it. "You bratty, ungrateful, rude, choding! How can you say yah and hyung in the same sentence? They cancel each other out and make you look like an uncivilized hooligan."

 "I'm from Busan, you know. That's just how we do it."

 He smiled wide in a dorky, cute way, making his fluffy cheeks puff out, his dimples appear, and his dark, almond shaped, warm, light brown eyes scrunch up in the most adorable eye smile. He was the sort of guy that was starkly handsome and naturally sexy enough to draw stares when he had a serious face but most of the time around Seongwoo he looked like a kid and a puppy mixed, too adorable to cause another sort of shock. Seongwoo was used to it though.

 He had confidence in his own looks, both handsome and cute aspects of which he also had that made it easy to get modeling jobs to scrape in extra cash for goodies and nights out and movies. It wasn't at all that he wasn't affected, he definitely noticed how attractive his friend was and even gave compliments, but Seongwoo was a person who cared more always about what was in the inside.

 It's what that pretty noona had first taught him. He had once laughed at the way someone looked on the streets as he was just a kid. Rave noona had sat him down right away and gave him a lecture and he had listened, because she was the first adult to bluntly tell him that his thoughts were wrong and it wasn't nice to act that way . Everyone else when kids were that age let things go because 'they’re young, they don't mean it, they will learn later, they're just a kid.'

He never forgot those words not to ever judge a book by a cover. Daniel was the epitome of that. Daniel was from a divorced family in Busan and he had been bullied for his slanted eyes and his bulkiness and his weird moments like how he often talked to himself. Because of that, when he came up to complete high school in Seoul because he liked English and got a scholarship offer here, he had been a shy, quiet, rather gloomy, negative kid that totally kept to himself.

Seongwoo in contrast was like black to his white, he was the complete opposite. He was from a sound, loving, supportive family with a sister and happily married parents. He had gotten only love and compliments and interest from various people his whole life. He had never been bullied or had his confidence knocked down. He was always bright, outgoing, talkative, joking around, and positive, mainly because he relieved all his stress and any negative feelings with frequent meditation sessions.

Seongwoo had first approached his roommate incessantly even though Daniel went out of his way to ignore and avoid him. Seongwoo would wake up earlier than Daniel to make him breakfast. He would wait for the guy who liked games to finish gaming so they could eat dinner whether it was making ramen or going out to get something spicy. He took care of Daniel's laundry and the housework and insisted they do their homework together. He marked the pages where Daniel had finished reading his comics late into the night so he wouldn’t agonize or complain about having to re-read. On the weekend, he convinced Daniel to go out to a cafe and study or an arcade or the movies.

For nearly two years now, Seongwoo had spent as much time in the room or on dates with Daniel as he could. Eventually, Daniel opened up completely to him like a clam put in salt water before cooking. Not that Seongwoo had any bad intention. He just liked to help people in need. He wanted Daniel to have friends and enjoy his time in Seoul and not be so introverted.

He learned a lot about Daniel during those times they spent at night just laying in bed chatting about a variety of topics from serious to outrageous to philosophically deep, such as about his mother's problems with her store and his father's debts and about how he'd dropped out of school after the bullying increased. He also learned that Daniel was a dorky, sweet, childish, affectionate, very warm, and kind-hearted kid. He was quite a bit brighter than his darker image and the shaggy black hair that shaded his eyes would suggest, so Seongwoo had convinced him to get it cut stylishly and dyed platinum blonde to match and so change his mood to being more approachable.

Their humor codes matched well as they often joked around and danced randomly and copied people on TV together. They were almost always laughing and smiling when they were together but not asleep. Seongwoo even convinced Daniel to meditate to relieve his feelings of depression, stress, lack of confidence, and anxiety related to school.

At some point, the one hanging more was not Seongwoo but Daniel. To the point that others might have felt suffocated, Daniel followed Seongwoo around and stuck right to his side, hugging, touching, cuddling up to, and teasing him relentlessly. He was really even more so like a puppy than just his looks had first suggested. Seongwoo wasn't ever annoyed by it though as he liked this sort of thing. In fact, he had always wanted a best friend that was inseparable and a lot like family or a boyfriend.

Currently, he was reading from his favorite poem collection before they were about to sleep that there was hardly any difference between a best friend and a soul mate. This brought about a variety of questions to his mind that he’d never pondered before.

"Do you believe in soulmates Niel?" he asked.

"You mean like the idea there is only one perfect person for everyone? No way! I think we have a ton of people in the world we are suitable with and it changes as our personality does with age. Soul mates is a bunch of bull."

 "Hmm, you think so...?"

Daniel crawled up on the ladder and put his chin on Seongwoo's shoulder, looking at the poem  he was reading.

 This particular book was a series of poems and discussions about their interpretation. This was his favorite poem, but he had had no idea it could be about the idea of soulmates and now he was caught up on the idea of if it could be true or not. The red string of fate too, he was thinking about that idea diligently.

"Hyung, why are you thinking so much? It's not like you. You're not the nerdy bookworm type. You even ask me to read the textbook out loud to you because it makes you sleepy."

Seongwoo shook his finger back and forth in a comical, diva like manner. Daniel rubbed his temples as a massage, like he sometimes did which Seongwoo always appreciated because his strong finger tips were magical. Seongwoo realized that Daniel was wearing his clothes again but he never complained as long as they didn't get stretched out by Daniel's huge shoulders. He had worn some of Daniel's clothes also, finding the oversized fit and the smell nice and comforting somehow, though it was probably weird to enjoy the smell of another man, especially one who liked to exercise a lot.

Daniel had a really fit body because of his daily work out routines in which he was trying to make his shoulders so big it was hard to get through a door. Girls were jealous of Seongwoo because they wanted to get close and date Daniel but Daniel only wanted to be close to Seongwoo. With everyone else, he was just the way he had first been with Seongwoo, acting quiet, gloomy, unapproachable, and indifferent. Then, when he looked at or joked with Seongwoo, his face would completely transform into this dorky, smiley, fluffy choding and he'd cling on him like putting his hand or chin on his shoulder or hugging him from behind. Because Daniel did that and because Seongwoo cared about how he dressed and styled his hair often, girls mistook them for a gay couple.

Seongwoo was sort of annoyed by that because he didn't want people guessing and judging his preferences but he didn't really care enough to scold Daniel about it. It was fine with him if his dongsaeng wanted to be affectionate. He was from an overly physically affectionate family honestly so he was okay with skinship, though he personally wasn't known to give it that much. Daniel sometimes pouted about how it seemed like Seongwoo didn't like him as much as he felt and asked him to be more affectionate.

Seongwoo tended to show his feelings in more miniscule, subtle ways such as doing chores and packing Daniel’s bags and buying him his favorite jellies or making ramen just the way he liked it with extra spice, cheese, sausage, and two eggs. That was just the way he was. Even with his family, it was odd to say things like ‘love you’ or ‘I care for you.’ They showed their love more so through their actions because actions spoke louder than words and they were a lot less awkward for everyone.

 Of course he cared for Daniel. He was Seongwoo's best friend and the coolest, most suitable roommate. He just didn’t show it exactly the same way that Daniel liked to. That was just another way in which they were complimentary opposites.

Seongwoo put down the book and grabbed his phone. His background was him and Daniel doing a V with him resting his chin on Daniel's shoulder. That was a rare moment of physical affection and to this day he still wasn’t sure what impelled him to suddenly do that. He remembered what day it was. Seongwoo had been sulky because he wanted to go out and see the autumn foliage but only couples could go and he didn't have a girlfriend, as he never had. Daniel had suggested they just go together.

He had refused at first because he knew they would get stared and laughed at. Usually that didn't bother him but this was an extremely couple thing to do. He figured it would feel really weird to do something romantic with his friend, especially a guy. Daniel kept pestering him and they went and people stared but the weirdest thing was that he didn't feel weird.

As Daniel played with his hair, putting the long brown locks in little apple stems on top of his head, Seongwoo looked up the definition of soulmates in Urban Dictionary. Here’s what he found:

 

Soulmate

It's like a best friend, but more. It's the one person in the world that knows you better than anyone else. It's someone who makes you a better person, well, actually they don't make you a better person...you do that yourself because they inspire you. A soulmate is someone who you carry with you forever. It's the one person who knew you, and accepted you, and believed in you before anyone else did or when no one else would. And no matter what happens, you'll always love them.

 

Seongwoo thought about the meaning for several moments as Daniel sang a Heize song and stroked his hair so it was falling back off his forehead. The definition wasn't as romantic sounding as he thought. Could it be that soulmates were also a term you could use with best friends?

 He sort of wanted to show Daniel and ask if it was possible for them, but he was sure Daniel would laugh it off or get weird. Maybe that sort of strange, out of the blue, rather ‘gay’ thought was better kept to himself. Where it didn't harm anyone. He sighed and put down his phone.

"Something wrong, hyung?" Daniel asked in concern, stepping up higher on the ladder so he could see his from directly above

 Seongwoo looked up at him for a long moment with a pensive expression. Then he reached up and pulled on Daniel's cheek which stretched out like elastic. He smiled and giggled.

 "Pfft. You have the weirdest skin. I'm just hungry. Let's go out and eat."

"You can do it too, so that’s just ‘calling the kettle black’ as they say in England. Feeling like jokbal? That's one of your faves and I keep saying later, later, next time. I think later can be now. But I want to see a movie and go to the VR area of the mall later."

"Only if you agree to go to Calvin's with me and hold my bags."

Daniel scrunched up his button nose. "Ugh, I hate it when you take advantage of my awesome arms. Maybe just one bag~"

Seongwoo shook his head and smirked. "No~pe. All of them. Take it or leave it."

They immediately read each other's mind with the twinkle in their eyes and said together 'rock, scissors, paper!' They were both sort of surprised when Seongwoo won as he rarely won anything.

"Ugh, my luck is awful today, maybe I should just stay in and eat ramen...." Daniel flopped back on his bed and threw a comical childlike fit.

Seongwoo sat up and threw his legs off the edge, putting his feet on the wooden ladder rungs. He waved goodbye to his cute, accessorized seal family, or as Daniel liked to think of as his Army of Cute Fluff.

"What's the use of having all that hard junk in your arms and never using it for physical labor. Don't be so lazy and stingy. I’m helping you keep fit."

"I would rather use it for something not so girly."

 "What are you supposed to do with it then?" Seongwoo rolled his eyes.

 Daniel jumped up and grabbed under his knees. "Something like swoop damsels off their feet."

"I'm not a-- Don't you dare-- Yah, Kang Choding! Put me down before you break both our backs! I'm heavy."

"You're really not, you’re as light as a feather," Daniel joked with a deep, husky laugh.

Seongwoo blushed. This was just too weird. He was now in Daniel's arms bridal style. "This strips away all my pretenses of having a masculine image. Think of my pride. Stop teasing me for being naturally thin and incapable of exercising," Seongwoo whined with a 'hing' sound and pouty frown, wiggling his long legs up and down to be released.

Daniel did let him down, careful to be sure he had his footing before he let him go. Seongwoo blushed at feeling like if Daniel had a girlfriend that's how he had thought of her and treated her. They had talked about that before. Daniel had had several girlfriends and Seongwoo was envious of that because he had none. Maybe he couldn't get any because he couldn't do that sort of cool thing.

But then again, he hadn't even crushed seriously on someone yet. He had somehow never been interested. Though he had never been interested in guys either. Maybe he was one of those A sexuals, maybe he was supposed to be a monk. Well, he did do meditation when he was stressed every here and there. It helped him clear his mind center himself and reorganize his thoughts and chaotic emotions.

 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

 

"Slow down and breathe." Seongwoo slapped Daniel's knee. Daniel jumped in shock and started coughing as a piece of meat got stuck in his throat.

"Shit, sorry, Niel! Spit it out~" Seongwoo sounded worried as he hit Daniel's back and rubbed it.

Daniel kept coughing and then drank some water. "I'm going to take a break…" Daniel huffed after he had drank three cups of water and finally stopped coughing.

He noticed that Seongwoo had beads of sweat on his forehead. He must have been genuinely worried. This worry wort cute Ongcheongie, Daniel thought with affection as he dabbed the beads away with his sleeve. Then he realized maybe he should have left it there because it made the movie star appearing man seem even more ridiculously handsome. He could have helped Seongwoo get a girl. There was a sufficient number of people glancing at him around the restaurant.

Daniel rested his head on his hand and smiled as he watched Seongwoo eat. The way that he took tiny, quick bites with his lips pursed and tightly pressed together so as not to show people what was in his mouth because he thought that was the most disgusting thing ever and put some in his cheeks made him look exactly like a squirrel or a rabbit. Seongwoo was the most adorable man on Earth as Daniel saw it. Daniel envied all the same things that he liked about Seongwoo. He wished he could be reborn as him or switch bodies for one day to live in his perfect life.

Seongwoo wasn't the brightest but he was hilarious, confident, kind, sincere, trustworthy, and he attracted people like a magnet. He was friends with half the school and the rest wanted to be but were a bit intimidated to approach him so they all just followed him on SNS and commented there. It was only his looks that were intimidating though, Daniel knew. That's why he had avoided him at first.

Seongwoo was always smiling and friendly to everyone, positive and bright like the summer sun. At first he had found him too blinding. Usually people like Seongwoo who were the total opposites of him just annoyed him and tired him out. Somehow, he hadn't felt like that for long though. Seongwoo had worked his way into his heart and his life, bit by bit day by day like a snail edging into its shell home. Until he was able to be himself, even shedding his gloomy reserved self. Seongwoo had become the light that scared away much of the darkness and depression creeping on his soul and weighing him down. Well, he was still a bit negative and lacking confidence and scared to make friends after all the bullying and betrayals he had had.

However, Seongwoo made him a better version of himself and stripped away or hid many of the qualities he disliked. Seongwoo, in other words, made actually caused him to like himself, the person he was with Seongwoo he could tolerate and have confidence in somewhat.

 "You're staring again, Niel-ah. Why do you do that? It makes me anxious, stop it~" Seongwoo looked really pretty when he blushed and got all sulky so he enjoyed teasing the older man who often felt younger.

Daniel wondered again if it was strange to think a guy was pretty. He wasn't sure if his tastes were changing since he met Seongwoo or Seongwoo was just one of those confiding guys because he reminded him of a girl sometimes. He started laughing at the image of Seongwoo in a wig, which was just terrifying because of his sharp enough to cut apples jaw and the cleft on his pointy chin. Seongwoo's lower features at least were clearly masculine but his upper features reminded him of a girl, especially his warm, dark chocolate brown, round bit eyes with the spindly ebony lashes.

"I heard that men get more handsome if they're stared at. I'm trying to help your love life. I'm like Cupid."

 "Well, Stupid Cupid, can you send your arrows elsewhere? Because this is the sort of thing that makes people misunderstand that we're in some sort of something relationship. Remember, no homo gap in public."

"Ah, right. You're so squeamish sometimes. I thought you cared less about what people thought than I do."

Daniel looked away and moved a bit further down the bench so they weren't as close. Seongwoo went back to eating more peacefully. "I don't but it's impossible for me to get a girlfriend when there's rumors still floating about that I'm dating you."

 Daniel shrugged. "I don't want to date anyway. The girls around Seoul are no good. So plastic and materialistic and two-faced."

 From then on Seongwoo and Daniel discussed variations of Korean girls, both coming to the conclusion that foreign girls were better and they wanted to go out to meet them. At some point some classmates of Seongwoo’s came over. He chatted and took a picture with them. Seongwoo tried to get Daniel to open up but as usual with other people Daniel clammed up, acted indifferent, and was rather rude.

Seongwoo scolded him about it on the way to the VR area.

Daniel explained bluntly, "I don't need any friend but you, hyung. You're an exhausting handful enough as it is. I’ve already got more seal than I can chew, who needs other farm animals."

"I take offense to that seeing as you are much more exhausting. You are clingy and follow me around like a puppy."

 Daniel tossed his arm over Seongwoo's shoulder and poked his cheek, "You don't hate it though. If you did, you would have said so directly. That's your personality. I know you well."

"Ugh, I hate that you do too..." Seongwoo muttered.

“I know also that you aren't capable of that emotion. You're a sweet ball of seal looking fluff," Daniel teased and blew on his ear.

Seongwoo squeaked and shook his head, trying to avoid the ticklish wind by putting his ear to his shoulder. "Stop teasing me! Meanie!" Seongwoo huffed, pulling his signature, aegyo-filled hing face.

 "Never~" Daniel sang a line from a hit group on some idol survival show that was all the rage that they watched together every week.

They both enjoyed watching TV and listening to music, throwing random dance parties while drinking somaek in their room. Seongwoo had brought in some of his other close friends but Daniel was still warming up to them so he usually hid in his blankets with his Nintendo playing games after a few minutes. Daniel didn't know why but he didn't like sharing his best friend. Whenever Seongwoo gave attention to others, he felt jealous and sulky and didn't want to socialize, though he knew Seongwoo was trying to get him more friends out of his own heart.

 I don't need anyone but hyung though, when is he going to realize that, he thought with slight frustration. Following that, he though of how during those times Seongwoo would bring him snacks and sit in his bed imitating the game character’s voices and dramatic actions until he was in a much better mood.

 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

 

At the VR arcade they took turns in the motorcycle simulator. Daniel had a blast picking on Seongwoo by splashing water and hitting him with a toy hammer to make the effects even more realistic. As ever, the natural born comedian who had more funny bones than regular bones in his body went along with him to make a comedy skit that would make any audience keel over with laughter if they had one by pretending the game was attacking him and he was shocked and scared for his life.

After their fill of gaming in which Daniel always got higher scores or won, as per usual, Seongwoo was sulky. He hated losing to Daniel even though he was used to it. Daniel felt bad because whenever they played team games, he got caught up in winning and let out his frustrations on Seongwoo by calling him hopeless and barking orders at him and saying why he couldn't do such simple actions with the controller.

"Don't be upset anymore, hyung. Sorry I was a jerk."

 Seongwoo brushed away his hand and crossed his arms, turning his sculpted nose up in the air huffily.

 "Hmph. Ddongwu is Ddokddanghae."

"Eh~ Sorry~" Daniel hugged Seongwoo which he was weak to and repeated the phrase as cute as he could in his thick Busan accent which his hyung was even weaker to.

 Seongwoo was blushing and biting back a smile a minute of cuddles and cute, accented, aegyo apologies later. Daniel couldn't help but grin though he was trying to show he was sincere. Seongwoo looked too adorable now, adorable enough to bite actually. He was tempted but Seongwoo was sort of a germ freak so he would freak him out if he did which would make him even angrier and earn him a few chest swats.

"What can I do to get my little cute Ddongwu happy again?"

 "Buy me clothes~" he answered in his sweet, comical baby tone with terrible Korean pronunciation.

"Arasseo, arasseo. Stop pouting then and I'll buy you as much as you want, even if it's name brands."

"Okay~" Seongwoo giggled and instantly brightened, his pretty, warm, dark chocolate eyes sparkling and scrunching up.

His smile was blinding and contagious. Daniel, even back that first week they had roomed together when he was putting all his energy into keeping a straight or disinterested face, had a hard time not smiling in return.

 They went to Calvin Klein, Seongwoo's favorite store. Daniel went around to all the bright colored shirts and hoodies trying to get Seongwoo to choose something that wasn't black but he always went to his classic favorites in the end.

Seongwoo had told him each time they went shopping that black was his comfort zone and he liked how it could be work any season or any occasion. Choosing clothes was a pain every day so he would rather put his energies into his studies or sleeping or eating or drawing or reading poetry or into hair styling which he had fun with. Daniel insisted that if he didn't wear colors now when he was young he was going to regret it when he was older and everyone was wearing bleak colors.

 In the end, Seongwoo bought a set of clothes in black but Daniel smiled proudly to see a single red belt sticking out of the pile on top of the register counter. He had finally won his stubborn hyung over. Finally, there would be some fleck of color in that black hole he called a closet.

The next place they went was the movies. Daniel liked all movies except horror and romance. They chose an action movie set in the ancient Joseon period. Seongwoo and Daniel imitated the old way of speaking while eating snacks and cola. Seongwoo made Daniel crack up laughing by imitating the haegum sound during an emotional scene with the instrumental part playing in the background. Daniel nearly spilled half the popcorn while he was laughing and slapping his legs so enthusiastically.

Seongwoo was hilarious, Daniel never laughed so hard or so often. Daniel liked laughing and the peace and euphoria that followed it. It was like healing for his scarred, slightly broken, often suffering light depression soul as he had spent the majority of his life dealing with dark, troublesome stuff. Seongwoo was the medicine that he had needed, he was like a panacea.

Feeling quite tuckered out from his laughing fit, he sank down in the chair with his legs up on the empty front row seat back like Seongwoo already was and snuggled into the other's hood covered shoulder. It made a surprisingly nice pillow and he found himself drifting off to sleep at one time during a romance scene because he usually found them a snooze fest for some reason.

 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

 

 "Okay, I see. Thanks for thinking of me. I will think about it and get back to you next week. Oh, they want to know right away? Okay I will let you know."

"What was that about?"

Seongwoo was laying on the floor, playing a mini drum set on his tummy, using one of his seals with a pair of rose heart glasses on it as a pillow. Daniel mimicked Seongwoo's raised eyebrow unconsciously. Sometimes they copied each other's expressions without thinking much of it. It was a natural consequence of spending every day together for nearly two years.

“That was my aunt…She said that she has a friend who is willing to let me do a home stay, in Canada.”

“Oh…” Seongwoo paused and blinked for several moments. Then he sat up and crossed his legs, his heart racing for some reason.

“For how long does she want you to go?”

“Between a month and two months. Depends on how much I like it there. She got permission from the school. I just need to decide whether to go.”

“Are you going to go?” Seongwoo gulped.

“I don’t know.”

“Well, what’s the reason you’re thinking of not going? This seems like an opportunity you would jump on…” Seongwoo asked curiously, then putting away the toy and giving Daniel his full attention and a gentle smile to show he was open to listen to him as long as he needed.

They both looked at each other for several silent moments. Each of them were thinking that they didn’t really want to be separated but since it was a good opportunity and they were two guys who had been friends awhile, it was sort of weird to come out and say that. Daniel was wondering about if he should call his aunt back and ask if a friend could come too. Seognwoo was thinking of asking him to make the time a bit shorter because it would be lonely to have this big room all to his self when he was used to having another person with him.

“You should go. It’s a good opportunity. Your English will get a lot better. And you will get to eat lots of yummy foods and see famous places. You can easily take a trip to America too. I envy you.”

Seongwoo felt like he shot himself in the foot there. He wondered why he was saying the opposite of what he felt. Then again, it would be odd for him to seem so against it. Daniel and him weren’t married or tethered at the ankles. They could stand being a part a month or two. They could still text. Nothing was going to change. It wasn’t like he was going to die of boredom without him around. He had other friends to keep him occupied in his free time.

Daniel picked at the seal bear’s ears on his bed, staring at Seongwoo, reading his face and trying to read the muddled tornado of emotions going through his body. This was a great opportunity and he should feel excited. Yet somehow he wanted to refuse. He didn’t like the idea of going that long without seeing his friend.

What if Seongwoo got close to someone else while he was gone? What if he wanted that person to replace Daniel as his roommate? Why did he feel like a worried, untrusting boyfriend that was about to go into a long-distance relationship with a really popular, pretty girl? Would anything be interesting without his funny friend there?

“I’m going to go out for ice cream. Do you want some?”

“Uh, sure. Chocolate and…”

“Caramel with the chopped nuts on top in a cone, not a bowl, right? Got it.”

They both shared a little smile. Then Seongwoo jumped up, stepped into slippers, and left the room. Once he was gone, he was able to breath properly and press down on his racing heart. He had simply had to get out of that room. Somehow he just felt angry, anxious, stuffy and like he was on the verge of tears.

Why did the idea of Daniel going hundreds of miles away from him physically hurt?

Daniel laid back in his bed and stared at the abandoned seal which largely resembled his friend but couldn’t be considered even half as cute or pretty. He put his hand at his chest and felt that his heart was itchy and racing and sort of stinging.

Why did the idea Seongwoo getting closer to others in his absence and forgetting about him freak him out?

 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

 

Daniel ended up leaving for Canada the next week. Until the very end, Seongwoo didn’t say anything that would let on his apprehensive, lonely feelings and Daniel didn’t tell him about his worries of being forgotten. They were two guys that happened to be friends and roommates. They were not lovers that should pine and make a big scene about being apart for a while. Especially when this was a great opportunity for Daniel that would help his future studies.

Seongwoo went to the airport with Daniel and they hugged, just once. It made them both feel awkward, but that was more so because when they were doing it they hugged for much longer than was normal for guys because neither could bare to let the other go.

“Take care. Stuff yourself. Play hard, study hard. See you in a few.”

“Enjoy your noise and mess free space. Rest and don’t study too hard. I’ll text you.”

“I’ll respond. With silly emoticons.”

“I’ll send you pup videos then.”

“Sounds good. Seals still better by a million though.”

“Seal addict.”  
“Choding.”

“Ong cheongie.”

“Meong meongie.”

They bumped fists a couple times, both of them secretly using it as an excuse just to keep touching each other. They couldn’t stop smiling as they looked at each other, knowing this would be the last time. The smiles had a slight bitterness to them but they were also affectionately sweet in a way that would have confused any bystander about what their relationship exactly was.

Seongwoo waved to Daniel as he was leaving, dragging behind his silver metallic suitcase full of Apeach stickers. Daniel turned around suddenly and stopped. Seongwoo cocked his head and put out his hands in a ‘What?’ gesture. Daniel had a strange look on his face that was difficult to interpret. He got a sense of hesitation, first and foremost.

“Is it okay to go?” he asked slow and soft.

No, it isn’t. I would really prefer if you didn’t go. Please don’t go, in fact. After two years, it’s going to be weird without you here. I’m going to be lonely and worried about you every day.

That was exactly what Seongwoo was screaming in his mind. That would be selfish of him and Seongwoo was anything but a selfish person.

“Yes, it is. Go before you miss your flight! Go, go, sing~!” Seongwoo san brightly, forcing a carefree smile and pumping up his fist.

Daniel laughed and smiled brightly, all signs of that odd look gone or suppressed, Seongwoo wasn’t sure which one. It had been a very long time since he had seen Daniel look like that and it was prickling him. He always forced Daniel to sit down and talk about all of his negative feelings and then they meditated together for an hour, that way Daniel could feel better and sort through what he was feeling and how he was going to deal with it. Regrettably, they had no time to do that and the decision to leave had already been set out and was unchangeable so they couldn’t make time for what Daniel needed. Seongwoo could only pray that it wasn’t something serious.

“Go, go, sing~” Daniel shouted and then shot off toward the terminal with his arm out like superman, making rocket blast sounds.

Seongwoo's smile faded and his arm slowly dropped to his sides, his shoulders sinking with a feeling of unbearable heaviness as he watched the broad-backed, hooded figure moving farther and farther away...

 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

 

Daniel was lying on the couch with his aunt’s friend’s dogs, flipping through Instagram photos. His time in Canada was alright. It wasn’t as exciting as he had hoped. Then again, that was probably because he hardly ever went outside the small city he was staying in. He had gone to a couple big cities in America and all around Canada but traveling got boring after a while.

Everything looked the same. Bunch of trees, pretty yards, big houses, sky scrapers, Starbucks on every corner in each city. The food had been great at first, but eventually he started getting stomach aches from all that dairy, oil, and salt. He was suffering homesickness, missing Korea. He was missing seeing Hangul everywhere instead of the English alphabet he often had to search the meanings for things. He was craving for some ramen, seaweed, kimchi and jokbal and other typical Korean foods that he never got to have here.

Above all things, he was missing Seongwoo. He hadn’t made a single friend in Canada. The only people he talked to out loud was his host family, the dogs, and himself. With his host family, he had to speak English and he realized that his speaking wasn’t nearly as good as his reading and writing abilities. It wasn’t like he couldn’t communicate about casual things, but constantly translating and worrying about grammar and having to think of the word and look up stuff on his phone while talking about something simple like how dinner tasted or what his plans for the next day was mentally tasking and made him all over tired.

He missed being able to rest in his bed and chat for hours about random things in his mother tongue like he had with Seongwoo. When he first got there, he had regularly called his mother because he wanted to talk to someone in Korean and hear a voice from home but she had gotten annoyed with him because she was busy with her shop and told him to stop calling and go study or meet some Canadian friends instead. She should know that he couldn’t do that. Daniel’s personality wouldn’t allow for it. The only person that he could be himself with was hundreds of miles away and, to be honest, though it was really terrible for a Busan man to say about another man, he missed Seongwoo terribly.

As he did a couple of times every day, he went to Seongwoo’s Instagram to check what he had posted. There wasn’t anything from today yet. Well, it was still in the mid-afternoon there so Seongwoo would be in class. The most recent photo was from last night. He had been playing with his seal dolls, accessorizing them with bags, flower crowns, bunny hats, and wizard hats. He lined a bunch of them up and took a picture like he was doing some sort of fashion display.

“Ong princess at his fashion play again,” Daniel joked, chuckling to himself as he looked at it and read the comments.

There were thirty in total. A lot of Seongwoo’s friends and admirers had commented on this one, just as they commented on most. A lot of the girls were talking about how cute and funny he was and how they wanted to steal his seals. The guys were just harassing him for being weird and having a seal fetish. The last time Daniel checked, Seongwoo had had over five hundred people following him and was following around three hundred, mostly people from his school days and various shoots and events he had participated in as a freelance model and drummer throughout his life. Daniel envied and also hated the fact that Seongwoo was a social butterfly. He wished that he could be that friendly, on the one hand. Then, on the other hand, he didn’t like that he had to share his best friend with hundreds of others.

Daniel had been messaging Seongwoo once a week or so. It irked him that Seongwoo was never the one to message him first, though he wasn’t certain if things had been that way for a long while or not. Even more irritating was that while they were messaging on that day that he finally took the initiative after debating every six days between whether he should message him first this time or not, Seongwoo would take quite a while to read his message. Daniel wondered if he was with someone or texting others and it bothered him that he wasn’t being considered a priority. Seongwoo had never ignored him when they were talking face to face or even gotten distracted by others, not for long anyway because Daniel could bother him.

 At those times, Daniel just sent a ton of puppies with angry faces or barking until he got Seongwoo’s attention and a reply finally came. He never explained what it was that was taking him away from their Kakao chat. That was the third thing that was bothering him. The biggest annoyance however was Hwang Minhyun, his fourth stitch in the side.

On two of the occasions that Seongwoo wasn’t giving him the proper amount of attention he felt he deserved while texting, the same night he had posted on his Instagram a selfie with Minhyun. One time was in a café and another time was at the movies. It immensely bothered him that Minhyun was like the replacement for Seongwoo’s dates.

Seongwoo wanted to go to these places but he didn’t like to go alone. When they first became roommates, Seongwoo had drug Daniel to these places with him and many others like the mall or the amusement park or the river for picnicking and bike riding. At first he had hated it being two guys doing something rather couply. Then, at some point, it had become just an ‘ongniel’ sort of thing. They went out often after school and on the weekends doing things that others would deem couply.

He had thought it was just something that they did together. Now he felt very much left out and like he wasn’t special seeing as Seongwoo did those things with some other friend of his.

The issue largely was that Daniel knew Minhyun. Minhyun wasn’t in the closet. He was out and he was flamboyant. Minhyun was gay and he happened to be all over guys he considered handsome. He was a skinship and kissing addict. It bothered Daniel from a long time ago that Seognwoo was even friends with this guy. Now he realized though that it wasn’t because he disliked gay guys as he had seen plenty in Canada and not found himself at all bothered by it. He was bothered by the idea that maybe Seongwoo was as well or that Minhyun would turn him.

If Minhyun became Seongwoo’s boyfriend, then what would happen to their friendship? He would hardly be able to spend any time with Seongwoo. He might even have to move out of the dorms. After that, he stalked both of their instagrams regularly, trying to judge from their posts or comments on each other’s pictures what sort of relationship they had and if it was progressing into something romantic. He couldn’t get a good read on it. He really wanted to ask Seongwoo but no matter how close they were, it was definitely wrong to ask ‘hey, are you gay and is the guy in this picture your boyfriend?’ Even if it was true, Seongwoo was likely to deny it asked out right like that, at least if he was planning on keeping his orientation covered up.

If he was going to be gay though, why Minhyun? Wouldn’t I be more his type? I’m funny, caring, reliable, strong, ripped, and exciting.

He shook his head, wondering why he asked that question and then especially why he felt for a moment like he wanted to be Seongwoo’s boyfriend instead. His jealousy was out of the blue and irrational. He didn’t understand why he didn’t like Seongwoo getting close to others and was paranoid about being forgotten but it just made him more miserable on top of how he already felt incredibly homesick.

Daniel sent another message to Seongwoo when he didn't respond to the first one.

'Ongcheongie. Did you leave the dorm without your phone again? Or have you lost it? Or dropped it in the toilet again? I swear you are the most hopeless person. Who knows what sort of trouble you have fallen prey to with me not being there to save you or point it out in time. Take care of yourself and your belongings, pabo.'

Like me, he thought. Daniel was in a way one of Seongwoo's belongings, wasn't he? And he was feeling as ignored and forgotten as Seongwoo’s phone often was. He sighed as he went back to looking through Seongwoo's Instagram. Still, there wasn't anything new, in fact most of it he had seen hundreds of times.

 Seongwoo liked to take selfies and he also liked to take pretty scenery and food photos. Everything was colorful and prettily taken except for the fact Seongwoo was usually in black.

"Sometimes I hate that you're so good looking and popular. Do you really have to be friendly with everyone? Can't you just be a homebody with selective friends you see once a week like most students?" He scolded the black capped, seal nose kissing guy's photo that had the most likes and comments from girls.

This is as close as you're ever going to get to a girlfriend you seal obsessed loser, he wrote in the comment section. He was pretty sure he would be attacked by Seongwoo's fangirls that were too scared to get close and ask him to date directly. However, he wanted to get some sort of revenge for being ignored and replaced by some skinny fox looking pretty boy.

Seongwoo would be sufficiently offended and irritated by his comment. Then Daniel would be able to talk to him for a bit at least. Which is all he really wanted.

He missed his best friend, so much that he hadn't thought it was possible. How was it that someone had come to mean this much to him in a couple years? He hadn't thought not seeing or talking to Seongwoo every day would be this hard. He had been holding back from calling or messaging him every day because he had his manly, Busan ssangnamja pride and he didn't want to seem like a weirdo by clinging to a guy. Guys thought that sort of thing was weird.

Oddly enough, Daniel felt like if their situations were reversed and Seongwoo obsessively called and texted him that he would be pretty darn happy about it. Maybe he was a weird guy. Maybe he was the obsessive, possessive sort of friend. He couldn't really say what sort of friend he was because Seongwoo was the only person he had let go past acquaintance into the friendship zone since he was a child.

Daniel smiled and his heart beat increased with a surge of excitement as he got an alert from Ongie.

'What are you so grouchy for, pup? I didn't lose or damage my phone and I haven't for several months, thank you very much.'

'What were you doing then? You were taking forever to answer again.'

Daniel then sent a growling, glaring dog. Daniel chuckled, feeling pleased Seongwoo sent a picture of a boy hugging a samoyed puppy around the neck much too tightly so that the dog’s eyes were about to pop out of its skull. Daniel laughed and pressed a finger under his nose.

'Sorry I wasn't doing it on purpose~ I wouldn't ignore you. I was just with Minhyun.'

His mood instantly dropped. Seongwoo affected his emotions like a rollercoaster these days. He was starting to wonder if he had been wrongly diagnosed with depression when it was actually bipolar disorder.

'Oh...what are you two up to today? You sure hang out a lot. Be careful or he will make you the next victim of his kissing addiction.'

He tried to make the text sound light and teasing but inwardly he was fuming and anxious. The thing about Minhyun was that he was very similar to Seongwoo, especially in their likes and personalities. It wasn't like Daniel who was the opposite of Seongwoo and they had to compromise about some things they did together. The other thing was that he was openly gay.

As far as Daniel knew, he had a crush on their mutual friend Jaehwan, but from what he had heard, Jaehwan was too interested in becoming a singer to have time for any dating though he likely knew about Minhyun's feelings and still kept him around because he felt the same. Daniel was worried that Minhyun was moving on to Seongwoo and he didn't like the idea of his friend’s feelings being played with and being used as a rebound. Seongwoo deserved so much better from whoever he was dating in the future whether he was into boys or girls which Daniel had never asked because he felt it was rude to. Seongwoo should be someone's moon, sun, stars, gravity, and just everything if they were to like him. Since he was a special, sweet, sincere, and genuinely good person with a heart of gold.

 Seongwoo was the only person who approach him and tried to fix his scars and fears and get him to open up to someone besides his cats and mom. That's how Daniel knew. Others gave up or didn't bother with him for years before he had met Seongwoo. Maybe that's why he felt a special way and that caused him to have difficulties being away from him.

 Even if he couldn't explain or understand it, the truth of the matter was evident. He missed his friend terribly and it was going to be a freaking long, boring, miserable month more.

 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

 

"Wait a minute. I need to get this." Seongwoo interrupted Minhyun who was showing him something from his novel when he saw his phone flash with a message from Daniel.

He didn't want to be rude to Minhyun but he wouldn't be able to focus on a thing he was saying without looking at the contents which would be even more rude. He had been waiting anxiously all week for Daniel to message him. He wished that Daniel would message him more often honestly. He enjoyed talking to him and hearing about being abroad and seeing pictures of exotic foods and places. Mostly he just liked exchanging jabs and jokes with his best friend he hadn’t seen in ages and never been apart from this long.

The room felt bigger and colder and eerily quiet without Daniel, which made him uncomfortable and lonely and sad, which were feelings he wasn't used to or had any idea how to deal with. Hence, he went outside with friends or found some activities he could do on his own like shopping or taking walks downtown or in the park as often as he could.

Seongwoo wanted to message Daniel but something stopped him. He was worried what Daniel would think of a guy messaging him obsessively. He would probably misunderstand that Seongwoo was gay for him and get seriously weirded out. Since Daniel wasn't the clingy type, well he hadn't been until the past few months at least. But that was more physical and Seongwoo just figured he liked being affectionate once he was fully opened up to someone and thought of them as sort of like family or a pet.

Actually, that would make sense if Seongwoo was a replacement for his cats so that's why he touched him often. Because Daniel sometimes had said he missed his cats more than any human and that he looked more like a cat than a seal. In which Seongwoo would get offended and defend his sweet Rave noona who had originally started the whole seal thing.

 The other reason he didn't message him first was he figured Daniel was busy and he would be the one to do it if he had time and was thinking of him. Daniel was sure to be busy studying and eating and sightseeing in the places he had dreamed of someday going. It wasn't right for Seongwoo to selfishly bother him because he felt a bit lonely or ignored.

 Seongwoo didn't like to be the type to message first anyway. He preferred to respond . He wasn't ever really sure what to message if he had to do it first and it was always some awkward out of the blue question or oddball comment that made his friends reply with confusion.

 Minhyun quietly went back to reading and note -taking in his book as Seongwoo checked his messages. They went out every once in a while to a cafe to read and discuss interesting points and passages. It would be considered boring to others but to them it was their enjoyable past-time and they were the only ones into it in their vicinity.

Seongwoo snickered as he messaged Daniel. He found it cute that Daniel was being sulky about being ignored. He loved the puppy gifs and pics that accompanied his texts. It reminded him of Daniel since he made similar expressions like that dog. He had always favored dogs over cats and thus he ended up favoring Daniel over his other friends even though he was meeting them regularly and sometimes got busy so he missed the occasional times Daniel messaged him. He was simply using them as a distraction. There was no way that Seongwoo could ever think of replacing Daniel. No one was as entertaining.

 'Me and Minhyun are just at the cafe, studying. What are you up to? More exciting stuff?'

'Oh, just the usual. I'm out wandering and having a blast. Saw a soccer game. Canada is great. Especially the air and people. They're nice. I am making lots of new friends and keeping busy.'

 Seongwoo's heart sank and he pouted. Every time he asked, Daniel would mention meeting new friends and having fun. He wanted to see who those friends were and ask if Daniel found them nicer or more entertaining than him. He also wanted to know if Daniel was having so much fun that he would request to extend and decide not to come back for even longer or maybe not ever. He felt angry, betrayed, and disheartened by that . He got angry, stinging prickles in his chest at the idea of being replaced as his best friend and maybe not seeing him for a long time .

Even a month had been difficult enough and he had at least a few weeks to a month more to go. He wasn't sure how he was going to get through it. It was getting impossible not to call or message him on a daily basis, he regularly checked his Instagram posts terrified to see these new friends, and even the distractions weren't working well.

 Minhyun was a nice guy, the one who he got along with best out of all of his extra, side friends as he thought of them, but he wasn't funny and he hardly ever joked. With Minhyun being rather serious and calm all the time, he ended up craving for those moments when Daniel would tease him, act childish, or do something really weird and spontaneous. Seongwoo had both a fun and a serious side, but honestly, he preferred how Daniel coaxed his fun side out often. He felt more entertained, enjoying life more, and being able to laugh until his stomach with hurt gave him a rush of good feelings that was like healing and stress relief. It was more effective as medicine than even meditation proved to be.

After a night hanging out with Daniel, he was able to forget any worries or stress or frustrations he may have had in the day and then he was able consequently to sleep extremely well and the next day he woke up refreshed and full of positive vibes. Since Daniel had been gone, that had not been the case. His teachers and friends had all commented about how this past month he was usually moody, cranky, quiet and gloomy. The only times he wasn't was on days and right after he got a message from Daniel.

 'I'm glad you're having fun. Finally meeting new people. That's good. Now the world will slowly realize you’re just a huge childish dork. Did you eat?'

 'I ate a ton. Snacks and three platefuls of spaghetti. What about you?'

'I just had a salad.'

 'A salad doesn't count as dinner. Go out of the cafe and eat something now.'

 'I don't have much of an appetite.'

' Why not? T.T Are you sick?'

' Don't worry about it. Stress and not sleeping much and having a little cold, that's why I guess.'

'Did you go see a doctor? Why don't you try drinking warm milk or light sleeping pills?'

' It's okay. I'm sure it's temporary. You don't need to act like my second mom. I get enough of her nagging me a couple times a week already as it is. I certainly don't need more. Calm down, boy~'

Besides I am sure all my ailments especially this moodiness will disappear as soon as you come back, Seongwoo thought but didn't type. He didn't want Daniel to feel weirded out by missing him to this extent. Then, he might feel obligated to either never come back because he thought Seongwoo was gay and had a crush on him or he might feel obligated to come back right away which would rob him of various adventures and fun activities he could be having instead.

' I am worried though. I can tell something is wrong because you're brushing me off. I know how you work Ong, you're not the ninja you think you are. You're a terrible liar. I want to call you. Will you be going home soon?'

'I would love that. I miss you and I have been wanting to hear your voice,' Seongwoo typed without thinking. Then, he gasped right before his thumb was about to press the send arrow.

"What the hell am I doing? I sound like a pining girlfriend. No, no, no, delete, delete, delete~"

"Hmm?" Minhyun lifted his head with a questioning curious gaze.

Seongwoo shook his head and flicked his hand in a nonverbal cue just to ignore him. Thank God I snapped out of it before I sent it, he thought. The message was too obvious about his weird feelings he was having. Daniel would think it was bonkers.

Or would he? Maybe he was feeling something similar. Seeing as how he did message him first after all. But did messaging a friend or even joke flirting and touching each other and sending some video in the hopes it made the other laugh because they looked the best then like they often did to each other mean something weird? Were they having thoughts beyond friends?

 'It's nothing. You don't need to call and check up me. You think I will be crying over a failed test or something? You know I never cry.'

 Seongwoo sent a message to Daniel and then stared at his phone's previous messages in deep thought. He was wondering about his feelings from the last year and if the way they thought people misunderstood their unusually close relationship possibly had some truth to it. He wondered why he had yet to have a girlfriend and found kissing scenes in romance movies kind of gross or boring.

"Min, how did you know you were gay?"

Minhyun closed his book over one finger and put his pointy chin in his hand. "Um, it was simple. I fell in love with a boy. He was my best friend. Once I confessed, he admitted he felt the same. We dated for a while."

 "Ah, really? It didn't go well?"

"Hmm, hard to say. That was Jaehwan, you see. It was when we were just kids. Since then, we sort of drifted apart because he's more into music than romance. I'm still in love with him though and waiting for him to have time to come back to me."

"When about did you guys notice? Do you see yourself getting together in the future? How are you two able to still be friends after breaking up?"

 That was scary. The idea of losing Daniel if they were in that situation. Not that he was necessarily thinking he was romantically in love with Daniel. He just trying to put himself in their shoes. It seemed like a lot of things could go wrong yet it hadn't. He knew that Jaehwan and Minhyun were still very close, though Jaehwan hardly had time for anyone the past year.

 "It took us ages to notice it. We were confused about where the line was in our feelings beyond friends to something else. We both fell in love before we even had pubic hair or knew about sex and sexual preferences. We were still able to be friends I guess because we didn't get physical as we were too young to think of that. I have a feeling that we are soulmates so we will get drawn together again. Things will be different this time. I am ready to get physical and I bet our relationship would change permanently once that happens."

"Ah, physical....so you never kissed? Hmm, there's that word again. Soulmates. You think it's possible? Do you think that soulmates doesn't just need to apply to something romantic? Couldn't, say, your best friend be considered a soulmate?"

Seongwoo showed him the definition he had screen captured several weeks ago.

"I definitely kissed Jaehwan, many times. We just didn't go beyond hugging or kissing is what I mean. As for soulmates, I think it's just romantic. If you are starting to think your best friend is a soulmate, that's a pretty good sign that you're falling in love. Are you talking about...?"

Seongwoo blushed and put down his phone, face down in case a message came and Minhyun saw the title. "I'm not talking about anyone. It was just a thought I had while reading a poem several weeks ago."

 "Hmm..." Minhyun stared at him and made him break into a nervous sweat and fiddle his fingers.

"What? Really it's no one...not like I even have a best friend..."

 Minhyun raised an eyebrow and looked amused. "If you aren't in love with someone, then date me. I need a distraction from Jaehwan. We can experiment, Seongwoo, and you can see if it's possible you like guys."

"Neh?!" Seongwoo stuttered his voice raising and squeaking at the end of the syllable, his large eyes expanding to the size of saucers. Minhyun had taken his hands and moved closer. "W-what are y-you doing? Being w-weird...You don't like m-me...."

Minhyun smiled softly. "Are you sure about that? We are close friends and I find you funny and sweet and attractive, Seongwoo. Maybe I am not in love with you just yet and I don't think I can ever love anyone other than him. But I definitely like you and I’m attracted to you. I can imagine dating you and kissing you. You're wondering what it's like these days, aren't you? But not with me, with someone else you're close to. Why don't you use me as an experiment? Test the waters? See if you can be attracted to guys or is it that you just care about him and are attracted to him?"

 "I'm not attracted to him. Or am I? I don't think I am. I don’t like guys. Do I? I'm confused, ugh..."

Minhyun came to Seongwoo's side and linked their fingers together, holding hands intimately. Seongwoo looked down with a shy, embarassed flush. That felt nice but it was also off and somewhat weird. It didn't feel as right and as nice as when Daniel touched him and it didn't do the same things to his insides.

 "It's different than thinking he's handsome. That's just an observation. It's when you hug or kiss. There will be this spark. You think odd little things are attractive about him like the way he drinks or when he's sweaty."

 "Uh oh..."

"You have thought that then?" Minhyun's smile widened.

"Maybe and I thought it was weird I thought that...but I never imagined kissing him."

 "Yet."

Seongwoo gulped and looked at his phone that had beeped with another message apparently, seeing as the table it was facing lit up. "Um, yet..."

Minhyun observed him staring hard at the phone with a huge flush. "Ah, that's who it was. Just like we all figured..."

"Neh?"

"Never mind. Seongwoo, go on a few dates with me this month. I will help you sort through your feelings and discover more about your orientation and feelings for him, hmm? I'm an expert at this, trust me. I am like the controller of the gay closets."

"Um... okay..." He agreed reluctantly. "But kissing is a no..."

Minhyun chuckled softly and bumped his shoulder, squeezing his fingers. "Because you would rather save it for Niel?"

"N-no! It’s not Niel! I'm leaving! Don't tease me!"

 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

 

Seongwoo grabbed his book and phone, shaking off Minhyun's hand, and ran away from the cafe back to his apartment. He finally remembered to check his messages several minutes later.

 'I am going to call you in fifteen minutes. You should get back home.'

'Are you on your way?'

'Stop chatting with Minhyun. Unless he's a doctor and I'm not aware of it.'

'You're ignoring me again. Grr....'

The posts were followed by a ton of gifs of growling, glaring, barking, pacing, and chewing on things Samoyed puppies.

"Woops."

'Sorry, we were talking about something important. I'm at home. Sorry sorry sorry sorry~'

Seongwoo sent a gif of the begging dance part from the Super Junior MV which happened to be a favorite song of theirs and they both could do the whole dance of. Daniel read it instantly. Seongwoo liked somehow that Daniel had the chat open just waiting for him to come in. It was cute and sweet. No one else did that with him.

 Why did he think that way of Daniel this past year so often? Why was he missing him terribly, excited to talk to him beyond explainable reason, and why was he jealous of these mystery friends and wondering how close he was to them?

Right after, Daniel was calling. Seongwoo put a hand over his chest to calm his slamming heart, his whole body jittery and his cheeks hurting from smiling. He was going to hear that charming voice finally.

"Ong Seongwoo~"

"Kang Daniel~"

They both called each other's full names bright and loud and laughed. The sound of Daniel's deep, accented, voice and dorky, thick laugh did odd things to his nervous system. He smiled wider as he went and laid down in Daniel's bed where he slept now because it was more comfortable, probably because his things were still here as well as a hint of his scent. He hadn't realized how nice the man smelt until he was gone. That's why their room had always smelt great to him, he realized.

Seongwoo felt happy enough that tears sprang to his eyes. Daniel was right there across the machine. If he closed his eyes as they talked, it would feel like he was right there next to him. Which meant that for a brief moment everything in his world would go back to being right.

"So...What's eating at you that you can't eat anything?"

Seongwoo chuckled at the lame pun. "It's nothing much. Just related to you..."

"Why? What did I do? Because I interrupted your date? Should I not have messaged you? Fine then, I see how it is, just let me know your flippin' date schedule with Emperor Hwang so that I don’t make such an offensive mistake," Daniel sounded offended and irritated.

"No, no. That's fine you interrupted us. I'm glad you did. I just um...it's just that um..."

 "Is um a new word I don't know about? Like how you put the Ong sound on everything? Or you do a a a when you do your victory dance?" Daniel teased, sounding a bit more amicable.

 It's just that I miss you and I wish you would come back this instant, he thought in his head and mouthed.

He somehow terribly wanted to say it now no matter how Daniel interpreted it. According to Minhyun, it was likely he had been slowly crushing on and becoming attracted Daniel despite he was a guy and now that was developing into love with him being gone. Seongwoo was a person who thought that people could be attracted to anyone they liked so the idea that he could like guys instead of girls or just this particular one didn't freak him out necessarily. The part that freaked him out was that Daniel was straight and his best friend meaning that he would likely lose him if he confessed.

 "This place just feels a lot duller and empty with you gone. It's sort of weirding me out and making me bummed…"

 "Oh, are you getting nightmares? I know the best thing for that..."

Daniel was oblivious to the subtle hint and confession he gave there. He went on to explain how to prevent nightmares happening and how to feel better after you had one seeing as he frequently suffered them.

Their conversation went on from there naturally. They talked about what was new in their lives and any cool, interesting, or funny events or sights. They ended up talking for two hours, not realizing the time flew because they were having a great time chatting instead of texting.

Eventually, Seongwoo had to go the bathroom so they decided to call it a night with him having school tomorrow and homework he hadn't done.

"I envy you playing around every day."

 "It's not as fun as I make it sound, trust me. Just trying to make me jealous because you're cute that way."

Seongwoo bit his finger nails, smiling, heating up with feverish feelings, and his heart racing. "Do you...find me cute very often?" He asked soft and hesitantly.

 It was a miracle Daniel had heard that. He had been rather hoping he wouldn't have and he could have just let it go.

 "Sure, all the time. Most people do, I'm certain. Especially your friends who know your Ongcheongie side best. You are cutest when you're Ddongwu."

"Ddongwu is sooo not cutie. Ddongwo is Ddokddanghae. Because Nielie is nomu hae, nomu hae~" Seongwoo did a baby voice with mixed English/Korean and pouted doing the Twice dance move.

He was rewarded for his silly act with a husky, deep, sweet laugh. "Aw, I can picture it already. It's a lethal move. Ah, how I miss you hyung..."

"Neh?" Seongwoo repeated, scared to hear that he misheard or was misinterpreting that. His pulse was sky-rocketing and he completely froze, even losing the ability to breath for a moment. “W-what did you say?”

Daniel spoke in a hurried stutter, "I-I miss that. You know, you being funny. And I miss er.... Speaking in Korean. You have a fear of speaking, remember? So we always speak our mother tongue in our rooms. I never realized how much more comfortable it was..."

Ah, it's not that he misses me or I make him comfortable, it's just something else then, I almost misunderstood, he thought with his heart calming and sinking as it had lifted higher than a kite there for a single moment.

"Ah, is that all you meant? You had me confused there. Be careful with your word choice, dummy."

"What did you think I meant? Something weird?"

"Yeah, very weird."

"Ah, so it's weird to miss something else..."

"I don't know. Is it? Depends on what you meant when you said it?"

They both shared an awkward laugh, equally wondering why they were talking in circles around each other about Daniel's earlier statement. It was like they were trying to hint at or lead the other in some direction but both were lost wanderers.

 Seongwoo wondered and hoped that it had just slipped out randomly that Daniel had missed him but he almost didn't dare to. It wasn't really in Daniel's personality to hide his feelings or take something back or say something he didn't mean. It had probably just been a mistake. Daniel was wondering if Seongwoo had picked up on his slip ups here and there but the other was difficult to read.

They said goodbye after confirming Daniel would be coming back sometime towards the end of the next month and they made a promise to call again and text more often if their schedules allowed. From then on, the waiting game started. Seongwoo went on dates with Minhyun to try to sort out his feelings. Daniel, who decided Seongwoo must have picked up on his hints, waited for him to message first this time. Seongwoo was thinking that Daniel was busy and would eventually text him so he did as he had previously did, continuously waiting.

Three weeks passed and they still had yet to contact each other. This made Seongwoo anxious but no matter how he felt he couldn't seriously date Minhyun because he realized he wasn't attracted to him. The more and more he saw pictures of Daniel and analyzed his feelings and thoughts during their interactions the more he realized that he was only this way with Daniel not just any guy. Which meant that he loved Daniel and it was very likely that soulmates did exist after all.

 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

 

Over two months had passed since Daniel left for Canada. The time since Daniel had said around that he would be back had passed several days before. Seongwoo was annoyed and hurt and anxious. After not hearing from Daniel for two weeks, he had finally sent him a message.

'Are you alive?'

Daniel hadn't read it. The only calls he got were from some spam voice fishing numbers, one that was persistent about calling twice a day, and his friends and family. He was thinking maybe something had happened to Daniel after three weeks and wondering what he needed to do. He would call Daniel's mother and ask if he actually knew her contact information. He didn't have his emails.

Every time he called, his phone was switched off or he didn't answer. All he could do was check their chat every day and see that Daniel still hadn't read any of his messages. If Daniel wasn't back by next week, he was going to ask the school for his personal information and explain they were in an emergency situation. He wasn't sure they would give it to him, but as Daniel's roommate and being known for being extremely according to rumors possibly too much close friends, it was possible. He was the persuasive sort, enough to charm snakes out of reed baskets.

 Since it was the middle of Spring, it was still raining when Seongwoo got outside the cafe from ‘breaking up’ with his ‘boyfriend’ Minhyun. Seongwoo had apologized that he couldn't return his feelings because he couldn't get Daniel off his mind and he didn't think that was fair to him. He just couldn't like Minhyun that way no matter how sweet or handsome or compatible he was. Seongwoo preferred to have the opposite.

He was thinking how much he would like to have Daniel here at this moment so he could confess this huge blob of feelings that was making him feel choked up and he wanted to be relieved from if he could just throw them at something. Two months he had been dealing with this, maybe longer. He had started feeling weird since he read that definition about soulmates and Daniel said that he was going to be leaving.

Deep in thought, he looked out from under his umbrella at the pink and white flowery trees he was walking past. He had walked into a small forest of them in the nearby park. He recalled that this was where he met Daniel for the first time, about two years ago.

 

(Flashback)

 

At that time, they had both come out after signing the papers to be transferred here. They would be living away from their families and with strangers for the first time. Plus, the idea of new friends and studying English only in classes was a bit terrifying. They had both wondered around the park, finding the stroll and flower gazing comforting to their racing hearts, nervous, anxious, and shivering bodies. Seongwoo had sat on a fence underneath the trees.

Daniel had been passing by where he was standing and there hadn’t been anyone else by chance at that moment. He stopped to look up at the large cherry tree that Daniel had thought was the prettiest pink of all. Their eyes had met and they had both smiled for a moment. Seongwoo had waved, hoping that the kind, cute looking man in flannel and a cap over his blonde hair would want to be his first and hopefully not last friend. He seemed like a nice guy, though rather shy and stand-offish.

 Then, he had started falling backwards on the fence. Daniel had rushed over and grabbed his legs, stopping him from falling over. Seongwoo squealed, first windmilling his arms, and then hugging the stranger who saved him for dear life. Seongwoo had a fear of falling ever since he was a child and he was in a great panic even though it was only a few feet up off the ground and the floor was covered in plush green grass.

 "Thank you. You saved my life," Seongwoo panted as he realized this guy had the broadest shoulders he had ever seen, making him confused for a moment if he had been saved from a bear.

 The man was lightly tinted pink and his white cap was covered with a similar colored pile of petals. His face was really handsome and warm looking like he should be smiling often but he forced himself not to. There was this sort of gloomy look in his light brown eyes barely visible under his shaggy dark cloud of wavy hair.

For several seconds, they both just blinked at each other and didn't know what to say. As if they were frozen in time, nothing else seemed to moving or making noise around them. They were struck by awkwardness at the rather romantic mood and position and by thoughts that the other was one of the most good-looking guy which they hardly ever thought twice about before.

Daniel was the first to have broken the silence nearly a minute later, offering a charming, crooked half-smile as he teased in a deep, thick Busan accent that Seongwoo had not been expecting and admitted that it made his heart flutter just a bit. That was a really attractive sound.

"I am hardly a hero. Just at the right place at the right time. You should be more careful."

Seongwoo laughed and brushed his cheek with a finger in embarrassment. "I try to be but I'm pretty much the clumsiest person in the world. I have the nickname in my hometown of Incheon, Ongcheongie."

 "Ah, you're from Incheon? I'm from Yongdo in Busan. Not mongcheongie though?" Daniel asked curiously.

They both realized then that Daniel was still standing close and holding on to his leg and Seongwoo had an arm around his shoulder. Daniel stepped back and leaned on the fence, one leg propped up on the lower rung, looking up at the cherry blossoms from under his cap brim which pitch color contrasted with the light pink. It seemed he wasn't used to talking with direct eye contact.

Daniel didn't talk this much with any stranger so it was rather odd for him that these questions and personal information got out. Maybe he was feeling lonely and wanting to make a friend. Somehow this guy seemed to have a pull. You just sort of wanted to know more about him. Maybe it was his ethereal beauty and this sense of there being something deep and serene in his lithe, fragile seeming body.

"Ah, that is because my name is Ong Seongwoo."

Daniel’s eyes popped open. "Ong? Hmm, never met an Ong in my life."

"We are pretty rare. Maybe we are vampires," he joked.

Daniel pretended to act like a vampire and that's when Seongwoo realized he had two long front teeth like a rabbit.

"Some people ask me for signatures. I thought it was because they recognized me from an online shopping mall. But it was because they saw my name on a prescription bag."

They both laughed. They both observed the other had a really nice sounding laugh and that theirs were quite different from each other. Seongwoo’s was more light, airy, and musical while Daniel’s was deep, thick, and husky.

"So, you are a model," Daniel observed with interest, thinking that he probably should have guessed with how handsome this Ong Seongwoo was.

"Part time. I just started this expensive school and I didn't have a good enough score to get a scholarship."

"Ah, I see. I'm sorry I was one of them that took it. That's pretty cool you're a model though. I don't even know how to take a decent selfie."

Seongwoo smiled kindly. Daniel thought he had one of those smiles that really warmed up a person from the inside out and made you want to trust them and give them all you had as a gift. "I can show you. Are you busy now?"

 "Well, I just moved my things in. I noticed my roommate moved in but he hasn't come back. Our room is just full of seal dolls."

"Ah, really? Seals are cute, so I understand. I collect them myself. My roommate hasn't come yet."

"Since we're both at this school, I'll see you around I bet. Let me know if you need saving from any more clumsy falls."

Seongwoo popped his eyes out and gasped dramatically, making Daniel chuckle. "Hopefully not. I saw my life flash before my eyes there. It was terrifying."

Daniel waved and they parted ways, both hoping to see each other again and that their roommate was going to be a nice person they could talk comfortably to.

 

(End of Flashback)

 

"Wow, we have really come a long way since then. Who would have thought that fate would bring us together like that? Getting along before we even knew we were roommates. Maybe that should have been my sign. Soulmates, hmm.... Not so Impossible seeming now...I should ask Daniel about it later whenever he gets here. I wish he would get ahold of me soon…"

He was interrupted from his first ever pleasant thoughts in a long while by a buzzing in his pocket. He wondered with a burst of excitement if Daniel had telepathically read his mind and was calling him. He stopped walking and took out his phone careful that it didn't get hit by the rain. He was annoyed to the point of throwing his phone, except that he recalled at the last second that it was expensive, at seeing that it was that spam number that called repeatedly.

"Stop calling. I don't want whatever it is you're selling. If you call one more time, I will --"

 "Ong Seongwoo! You finally picked up! Freaking A, dude!"

"Neh?"

Seongwoo was dumb struck. That voice was familiar. Who was it?

"Ongcheongie~ Yah, hyung! It's been a few weeks and you don't recognize my voice though I talked to you every day for two years? I am officially put out, hmph," the deep, accented voice spouted.

"D-daniel?" Seongwoo squeaked, then he cleared his throat and tried to sound calmer than he was. "Where are you calling from? I don’t recognize this number…"

"I'm calling from a prepaid international phone obviously, dummy. Why did it take you so long to pick up? I have been calling you on this every day for weeks!"

"I thought this was a spam number. Who answers numbers they don't know? Why haven't you messaged me back? I was worried something happened to you! Are you so busy having fun and texting new friends you just ignore people's messages from here now? And don't answer or call back?" He snapped, getting louder.

"I lost my phone at a restaurant. I think it got stolen. I knew you would be angry so I have been calling you repeatedly. I didn’t have your email. I figured even with your clueless brain even you would figure out someone that has called you forty times was probably someone important reaching you for a special urgent reason," Daniel explained, also a bit snappy.

"Why didn't you send me a message with this phone? Then I would have known right away."

"I only bought minutes."

"Why did you do that for? People message now not call. You could have commented on my Instagram photo. You know my ID!"

"Well, I happen to like the idea of calling you instead. I want to hear your voice. I have things I want to say that I don’t want all your fans to see."

"Why would you? You forgot all about me with your new friends and fantastic life. You didn't even come back when you said you would. You're not coming back yet, are you? You’re the one that has all of these new friends you’re always hanging out with and bragging about."

"I want to hear your voice because I miss you. I came back to Korea because I miss you. I don't want to stay in Canada because I miss you so much that it's no fun at all and I've been miserable. I don’t want the whole world to know that I miss you and not having a good time in Canada simply because I can’t experience things there with you. I was just exaggerating because I felt like you were having all this fun and okay with out me. I hardly made any friends and I was staying inside most of the time playing with dogs and my Nintendo. Okay? You get it now, dummy? Sorry, I was being childish. I don’t want to live like that anymore. So, I’m just going to be honest now that I’ve finally managed to freaking get ahold of you. I have missed you every moment of every day and I wanted to rush back here. Then my plane had an accident so I got stuck on a delay in Singapore. Otherwise I would have been here to tell you all of this over a week ago.”

“You…what? Say that again please…” Seongwoo leaned against the fence whereabout he and Daniel had first met at, staring with bugged out eyes at the rain puddle near his feat that had boat like pink petals swirling about like dancing a ballet. That rapid-fire, emotionally charged speech that was pretty much more like angry rap was too much too fast for him to process.

“You darn Ongcheongie. I will tell you the most important part simply so you can get it. Listen loud and clear, pay attention now. I missed you. A whole freaking lot. I don’t know if you felt the same way. Probably not seeing as you’re having so much fun with your new bestie Minhyun. You should be careful of him, he’s a bit of a wolf you know and he could be using you to try to get over Jaehwan. I don’t like it…”

Seongwoo smiled and chuckled, his heart flipping and butterflies flying about in his stomach, making him near queasy with happiness. Of course he didn’t like it. Because it made him jealous. Because Daniel liked him too, not just as a friend. Maybe he realized it or maybe he hadn’t. Seongwoo had realized it and was happy that he would finally be able to admit it. Daniel wasn’t as off limits as he had thought it would seem.

Daniel…likes…me….too! Doesn’t he? Oh, what is air~ Breathe, Ong, breathe!

Seongwoo took a deep breath and gripped the fence post tight for support. As he slipped out a shaky breath, he pushed out his confession as quick and with as much confidence as he could before he lost the courage or the timing, “I missed you too and you have nothing to worry about with Minhyun. He’s not the guy that would turn me gay.”

“What does that mean? You think you might turn gay? Have you met someone recently?”

Seongwoo smiled slightly. “Now who’s being the clueless and dense one, Nielie? Forget it. I will tell you what I mean when you get back to the dorm.”

“I’m on my way actually. Are you there?”

“I’m out at the park with the forest of cherry trees.”

“No way, so am I…?”

“Really? I don’t see…” Seongwoo climbed up on the middle ring of the fence so that he could see better around the pink, blossoming trees.

“Ong!”

There Daniel was dressed in a hoodie, jeans, and cap, holding a black umbrella and waving his hand with the phone wide and welcome.

“Daniel? Daniel!”

Seongwoo excitedly waved back but his fingers were slightly wet so that caused his phone to slip. He tried to catch it on his way down but it was slippery like his fingers were covered in butter. It fell to the floor and that was when Seongwoo realized that he was perilously on one foot, leaning forward, and his foot was slipping off the rung. He flailed his arms and tried to grab the pole before he fell.

Suddenly, Daniel was there, catching him just before he hit the ground, and righting him. Seongwoo gripped his shoulders tight and put all his might into centering his source of balance again. Daniel chuckled as he helped him sit up on the fence and looked up at him with a bright, beaming, gorgeous grin, his warm, solid hands sturdily holding his legs in case he were to tip again.

Seognwoo had yet again panicked and seen his life flash before his eyes just like he had that fateful day. Funnily enough, it had been in this very spot at the same season and setting. The only difference was that it was raining, but it was only drizzling now. Good thing because both of them had dropped their umbrellas in the process and seeing as they had their hands on each other and something magical was about to happen judging by what had just been revealed over the phone, they weren’t going to be picking them up any time soon.

“This certainly seems familiar. What drama have I seen this romantic scene before? Hmm…” Daniel teased, rubbing his thumbs over his knees.

Seongwoo flushed and squeezed his shoulders. Those broad shoulders he used to complain about being too large so he had trouble laying on the bed with him or standing next to him to brush his teeth. He really wanted to throw himself in Daniel’s arms and squeeze him tight. It was great to have him here, though seeing how out of the blue it was, it almost felt like a dream.

“You saved me again. Two years after, just like back then, same time and same place. Isn’t that like…”

“Fate? Yes, maybe so. Maybe we are soulmates. I’ve been sort of thinking about that lately and what you showed me. Maybe soulmates isn’t necessarily just romantic or for boys and girls. When I think of how you are the opposite of me and how you have made me a better person and how you have given me all this advice that has led me to be happy almost every day when I used to be mostly depressed, well, I start believing. What about you?”

“I think the same way you do. I have been thinking that though I don’t know if it’s possible or not, if I were to say the definition of a soulmate and try to pinpoint who that would be, I would say that I am pretty sure that I have found that, in you. I missed you too. How did you mean it though?” he asked shyly, biting at his lip, unable to pull away from looking at Daniel’s handsome face.

Daniel was even better looking than he remembered. Somehow, now after he had talked to Minhyun and started accepting things about himself too, there was something there that he hadn’t necessarily felt before when they were close like this. He felt attracted to Daniel. He wanted to hug him and he wanted to try kissing him. It would be his first, which was a huge deal. However, he couldn’t imagine who else would give him a better first kiss or who better he wanted to forever share that precious memory with.

“I meant it romantically. I missed you the way that a boyfriend would pine for his girlfriend when he goes away to the army.”

“I missed you that way too. I was acting like how a wife would when her husband goes away for a business trip. Constantly waiting for a message or call, wearing your clothes, sleeping in your bed, looking at old photos…”

“Seems like we’re quite stuck on each other then, right on the same page. Funny how we don’t realize this until we are both apart and there’s nothing we can do about it. Your density rubbed off on me staying in the same room, I suppose. I think our classmates would have a riot if they knew. Apparently, the things they thought about us were right. Only we were being pabos.”

“You’re more of a pabo. At least I realized over a month ago. You just figured it out, didn’t you?”

Daniel grinned sheepishly and nodded, his puffy cheeks tinting with a splash of pale pink like the cherry blossom trees behind his head, crowning him in fluff and making the masculine man look exceptionally pretty. “You know me well, Ongcheongie. Yes, I figured it out just when I was able to get ahold of you. We were fighting but all I could think about was that it was great to hear your angelic voice and that I wanted to hear it every morning and every night for the rest of my life. I think that I like you rather intensely. Not sure how I didn’t notice it. I’ve been thinking of you possessively and I’ve considered you cute and handsome for this whole past year at least.”

“Yes, I guess that should have been a sign. My sign should have been when I started thinking you looked sexy doing the most mundane things, like shaving or blow drying your hair or the way you drink beer or how sweaty you get after working out. I should have figured it out when all I wanted to do was scream ‘don’t go, I will be lonely, I’m terrified you will get close to others and forget me’ when you told me about your opportunity to go to Canada.”

“I didn’t honestly want to go, you know. The first thought I had was that I didn’t want to be away from you at all. I figured my life would be a lot more boring and it truly was. I was scared you would get a new best friend. How stupid of us not to have said anything.”

“I thought you would be weirded out by it. It’s not something guys would do, no matter how close friends they are. I was worried you would have an odd reaction and we’d experience a falling out.”

“Same here.”

They both smiled warmly at each other, brushing their hands in an innocent, sweet way over each other. Daniel pushed between his legs and hugged his waist. They had hugged a few times and even cuddled in bed before but this felt completely different than any of those times. Now they both understood their own feelings and that the crush was mutual, it took on a whole different context. Their hearts raced and their bodies warmed despite the cool, misty rain drops soaking their skin through their drenched clothes. Seongwoo held Daniel’s sharp jawline and lifted his head up, his pretty, long lashed, chocolate colored eyes flickering between Daniel’s squinty, nearly disappearing eyes with one with a mole underneath and his shyly curved lips.

“I want to try something. Is that okay?” Seongwoo whispered.

“Anything you want is okay, Ong. You know I’ve never been able to deny you. Even when I refused to be close to you and especially when I refused vehemently to do meditation, you won me over with your deadly charm. I’m yours for experimentation. Do as you please with my body.”

Seongwoo flushed and giggled, thinking that sounded awfully naughty. Typically, they would make some sort of dirty joke about this, often turning it into their most favorite, ‘Your Mom’ or ‘That’s what she said’ jokes. He decided against it this time though several perfect ones floated into his ingenius mind. This was a romantic time, their first of many. This was the moment that was going to change the nature of their relationship forever. It needed to be perfect, sweet and serious and meaningful. That way it would become a precious memory just like the others, especially their first day when they had bonded without even knowing that they were roommates.

Seongwoo spoke with hesitant stutters and nervous pauses, his heart racing a mile a minute and sweat mixing with the water pooling between his palms and Daniel’s drenched hoodie. “I’m going to kiss you now. I hope that it feels right, not wrong. I hope that it changes us for the better and not the worse. Because I like you, I think, and I want this to work out in a way that you will be the first special friend I’ve ever had. But I’m also aware that you have kissed girls and enjoyed that. I’m worried that if it doesn’t feel right, we’re going to get awkward and I’m going to lose the best friend I have ever had. I don’t think I’ve debated something so much since before I started meditating.”

“Don’t worry, Ong. I am imagining kissing you since a few minutes ago as well. I’m excited about it, extremely so in fact. You should feel my heart, it’s like a drum. You’re not that much different than a girl. Let’s try it. Don’t be scared. We’re going to be alright, I can feel it. We’ve already started the process. Definitely we are changing for the better. Progressing as soulmates should. And you will never lose me, whatever were to happen. Let’s get this Ongiel party bus on the road finally, for real~” Daniel replied brightly, washing away all of Seongwoo’s worries and hesitation like the spring rain was doing to their skin.

Daniel closed his eyes and pursed his lips, standing up on his tip toes and pressing closer to Seongwoo’s face. Seongwoo tilted his head and held his breath, staring at Daniel’s naturally pink, plush, silky looking lips, praying that his first kiss wouldn’t disappoint his best friend since he didn’t have a clue what he was doing. He inched closer and closer at a snail’s pace, his pulse out of control and his chest filled with tingling pain from the love he was experiencing and the excitement and terror of this coming moment. Their lips finally met, both pursed, gentle, and sweetly pecking as soon as they made contact.

The feeling for both of them was just as Minhyun had described. Although it was a simple gentle innocent peck, the feeling was intense. Like an electric shock through their body that left pleasure and bliss instead of shock and pain. It was surreal, incredible, and absolutely perfect, making birds chirp in their brains.

They kissed a few more explorative, slow times, their lips sliding easily with the rain. Seongwoo inhaled and pulled Daniel closer, to wanting to break contact for a moment even and impulsively wanting more. Daniel hugged him tight to his chest and shifted their lips so that he could pull Seongwoo’s lower lip to suck on it. Their attraction exploded like fireworks at the grand finale from that very moment. They both latched onto each other’s clothes and lips, sucking, nibbling, licking and groaning with a fever neither had expected, acting on primal impulses neither were very familiar with.

To be honest, Daniel had done nothing but peck the girls he had dated because he had honestly not felt much chemistry between them to the point that the kisses were enjoyable enough that he desired to attempt anything more. Seongwoo though, kissing Seongwoo was an addiction he was developing greater than that he had for jellies and ramen, and that was saying a lot if you knew the guy.

They were so lost in kissing and hugging each other tight under that cherry blossom tree in the middle of a spring rain shower, pouring out and absorbing the feelings that they had been harboring and desperately hoping to get out to the other for years once they realized what they were exactly. They didn’t notice that the rain had stopped and a strong wind had come, showering their hair and shoulders with piles of dancing pink and white blossoms, bathing them in a scent that was the sweetest thing in the world only next to this very moment when two people realized that soulmates did exist and these two clueless, dense morons had been spending every day together the last two years without an idea what they truly meant to each other. Now they knew and they were going to be taking full advantage of it. This was their first promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love this fan art because it reminds me of confetti falling on them which there were falling petals at the end with their romantic moment so it's a pretty cute fit. Hope you guys have been surviving the Ongniel attack of 4/14, jeez what a monumental day. Four huge Ongniel moments, has this been on purpose you know with the tripple fours. Funnily enough I live close to exit four on the fourth floor of my apartment haha. To my readers, the few that have checked out any of these one-shots, I thank you for checking it out and really hope to hear from you. Sorry this one-shot is ridiculously long. There will be a lot of Ongniel coming up in this series but I will be putting some other couples up within the next couple of weeks, Jinhwi and Panwink up next I think.
> 
> This story is for my friend and fellow scientist and avid reader Rave. This plot was a prompt she gave me and ideas that we fleshed out together, though some of this is a surprise for her and just my creative ideas flowing out. Happy birthday, beautiful, funny, sweet, smart, and naughty maknae on top~ I'm glad to know you as a friend. Thank you for being a loyal supporter of my work and for fangirling and being concerned about my health. You really make me smile and laugh every day, taking my stress levels down which will be doing wonders for my healthy. I love you and will continue to support you in all your endeavors, anything you want my feedback or help on, wether it be translation or life advice or your stories, I'm here for you and willing to be your back up ^^ (Her stories are really good btw don't mind her being shy saying she's not any good, wow amazing for a writer rookie~ https://archiveofourown.org/users/ravepirate)
> 
> Let's keep loving Ong forever and ever and fangirling about his sweet voice, ethereal looks, bum, Ddongwo-ness, incredible acts of constant extra-ness, bulge and cheasy, greasy aegyo. Super glad to have gotten close to you. I hope that your birthday is a day full of fun and wonders. I will be seeing you around of course. I hope that you enjoy this present and that it's everything that you wanted and imagined. If there's something you want changed or added, just let me know. I really don't mind. This story is all for you and others can just come along for the ride on this fluffy comical school romance story.
> 
> Happy Birthday again Rave! Ddongwu and Raina unni woves you vewy much~ *flying kisses *A dance *love beckoning I know that my present can't be as good as real life Ongniel moments and all of the pics that dropped of Niel today, but I hope this at least adds to it and makes you smile and have peaceful dreams~
> 
> If you read all the way to the end of this monster, major kudos to you. You basically did a fanfic marathon~ *pats your head and gives you some water. Comment juseyong~~~~~~~~~ 
> 
> <3 Raina


	5. Oh Little Girl(Panwink)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been almost a month since Guanlin confessed to Jihoon and Jihoon decided to give his friend a chance as a bf though he had never thought of him that way and had been clueless as to the guys feelings. Things have been going well. Jihoon is in the middle of developing strong feelings of Guanlin, most of which had been in his heart before but he had not ever been aware of or had been in the middle of denying. They travel to Taiwan so that Jihoon can learn more about Guanlin because he feels that as a bf he is lacking a decent amount of info that he should most certainly know. They get closer through the trip and Jihoon works to complete his mission of saying some special feelings outloud.

I’ll protect you  
What do I do, the spell isn’t releasing  
How, how did this happen  
My heart that is hotter than that sun  
Maybe, maybe, it’s probably love

You take my high  
Fly me up so high  
Like a balloon, I float up  
My heart, you shake it up very much

Oh little girl, with any sort of words  
Little girl, it can’t decorate you  
You, who is more like love than love itself  
Oh little girl, In this world  
Little girl, even if I were to lose everything  
You, who is more like fate than fate itself  
I’ll protect you

                --Produce 101 Team Slate, “Oh, Little Girl”

 

 

“What’s that you got there, Lin Lin?” Jihoon asked his boyfriend of nearly one month as he came into his dorm room with an envelope.

The tall, dark haired, slim boy with incredibly long legs and a fashionable, chic look from Taiwan smiled in his gummy fashion, his big eyes wrinkling up so he looked less like a frog. “I got a present. Remember how you wanted me to plan our first holiday? Well, I did. Here~”

Guanling passed the tickets to the shorter, light brown-haired boy. Jihoon took them and checked his watch at the same time. They had ten minutes before they needed to leave the dormitory to start the walk through the campus in order to get to the south end in time for their classes. Despite that they were two years apart, most of their classes happened to be in the same area so they had bumped into each other often.

“Wow, Taipei~ These must have been expensive.”

“I have money, hyung. Don’t worry about it. My parents are paying half anyway. They want to see me and meet you.”

Jihoon put his hand over his gaping mouth, his cute eyes popping out wide as saucers, his puffy cheeks tinting pink. “You told them about me? How much?”

“I told them that we are friends and that we are close and we are developing feelings for each other. I didn’t lie or directly say we’re dating, though I promise you they wouldn’t mind. It’s not such a big deal in my country.”

Guanlin pet his hair, giving him a look like he was the cutest thing in the universe so that he didn’t want to look away from him for a minute. It had been that habit of Guanlin’s that made Jihoon realize that he wasn’t joking about his feelings when he confessed out of the blue in front of his classroom. Guanlin had often walked with him to class and stared at him with a silly, affectionate grin on his model-like face.

Jihoon was embarrassed to admit that he had been clueless about his friend and dongsaeng’s crush the previous five months. He had thought that Guanlin was more like his fanboy, not that he was a gay man with a crush from the first moment they had met, when they bumped into each other walking around a corner in a hurry. For months, they had hung out in each other’s rooms doing homework, playing with nerf guns and basketballs, and learning Korean from dramas and beginner grammar books. He had picked up on the fact that Guanlin admired and was fond of him of all the hyungs he had met in this country since he moved there, but he had not at all picked up that he was harboring romantic feelings.

At first, Jihoon had been weirded out by the confession and gone completely speechless. He hadn’t had a clue what to say, since he had never thought of Guanlin in that way, being that he was two years younger and practically a baby. He hadn’t ever thought of anyone that way, in fact. Jihoon had had zero interest in anyone, male or female, his entire life to the point he was thinking that he was an alien.

Then, after Guanlin confessed, things flipped on him to the point he hardly knew who he was anymore. He all of a sudden noticed that Guanlin was sweet, funny, caring, handsome, and overall just a perfect boyfriend material. It was like a blanket had been lifted over his eyes and he became blinded by the light after years of accustomed darkness. Every day that he hung out with Guanlin and thought of their looks, smiles, and skinship in a different context, he found himself growing a crush back. He was falling for Guanlin faster than rationally made sense in fact, as if his body was making up for lost time. So fast it in fact scared him and he often sought advice from his friends.

“Oh, good…I wouldn’t want them to hate me…” Jihoon sighed with relief as he put the tickets back in the envelope.

Guanlin took them and wrapped his arm around Jihoon’s shoulders, pulling the shorter, squishier man close and rocking him lightly. “You are impossible to hate. You’re too cute, sweet, and handsome.”

“I’m not…” Jihoon muttured, looking down with a blush, his heart fluttering.

“Especially handsome. You are unbelievably, movie star, idol level handsome. It hurts my eyes just looking at you sometime, you shine so brightly. Just my style.”

Guanlin had always been comfortable giving and taking compliments. He was an honest and flirty person. He tended to speak his mind, and much what took over his mind were positive things about Jihoon. He had called him handsome and cute on multiple occasions as well as a ton of other nice things. Jihoon felt stupid every time he did now because he recalled all those times that Guanlin had made it obvious that he had liked him and he hadn’t picked up on it earlier.

“You totally are,” Guanlin argued back, surprising Jihoon with his Korean skill.

Guanlin when he had first met him had been awkward with Korean pronunciation and his grammar had been a mess. After learning from him and dramas every day though, Guanlin could speak almost at the level of a native. The only word that he still had a hard time pronouncing was jokbal, which was one of his favorite foods. Jihoon had found it adorable and laughed about for several minutes for months. That probably should have been his cue that he had feelings he was hiding from or denying. Hello, my name is Jihoon, captain oblivious.

“Don’t you think it’s a bit much for us to go overseas on our first trip considering how we’ve been dating such a short time. I mean, we will be sleeping in the same room…”

Guanlin playfully poked at Jihoon’s ears which were as red as a strawberry up through the pointy tips. Jihoon bit his lip and stared at the ground, feeling incredibly shy so that he wished he could create a hole in the floor and sink through it.

“Are you thinking something naughty, hyung? I wasn’t going to suggest we share the same bed, but if you want to…” Guanlin teased with a large, evil smile that showed off his handsome dimples.

Jihoon was on fire and tingly from the proximity and Guanlin’s soft, gentle touch. Ever since they had started dating, skinship had had a greater effect on him and he wasn’t able to bear with it. Not that it didn’t feel fantastic. It just made him all jittery and insecure and unsure of what to do with himself. He wanted to give Guanlin some physical affection back, but he wasn’t sure how to do it well and he didn’t have the courage. He had always been a shy, hands-off sort of guy, so it was going to take awhile for him to change his character.

“No, we can’t. I’m not ready!”

 

“Ready for what? We only kissed a couple times, hyung. You’re over-reacting again. I wouldn’t push you even if I knew what the next step was.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s right…” Jihoon relaxed and let out a relieved sigh again.

Guanlin had said Jihoon was also his first crush, his first boyfriend, his first date, and his first kiss. They both didn’t have a clue what they were doing and they had difficulty progressing their romance simply because they weren’t quite sure what came after hand holding, cuddling, hugging and pecks. Well, as boys that had gossiping friends and had gone through sex education, they did have some clue that the next step would be making out and groping underneath clothes, but neither had started that. They couldn’t imagine doing it honestly, seeing as they were still minors in high school and quite pure and innocent minded.

“I didn’t ask you there so I can make a move on you in the middle of the night, hyung. I thought I would take you to my hometown and show you around so that you can learn about me more. You said you felt bummed that you’re my boyfriend but you don’t know that much about me, right? This will remedy that.”

Jihoon turned to look up at the younger boy much taller than him and smiled softly. “Wah, you really are good at speaking now. And you have a fantastic memory.”

A week or so ago, a fan of Guanlin had bumped into Jihoon on the street. He had recognized Jihoon because he followed Guanlin often and knew everything about him. They had got to joking about Guanlin and Jihoon felt embarrassed by the extent of things the fan knew about Guanlin that he had no idea about. The male fan had built a profile about Guanlin, knowing that he used to be a forward in his baseball team, that he was 183 centimeters tall, that his name meant ‘Rainy Season’ in Chinese, that he loved hot pot, hated horror movies, and that he came to Korea by himself.

 Jihoon had known that he was good at English, loved to sleep, never cried, had an older sister, used to live in LA with the name Edward, loves to shop, and that he preferred calls over texts. However, somehow, after meeting that fan, he felt like he didn’t know nearly as much as he should. From that day on, he had compiled a list of questions to ask Guanlin every time they met so that he could get to know him even better and therefor be worthier of being his boyfriend. In Jihoon’s mind, a part of being a good boyfriend was that he should know his boyfriend better than anyone else, especially about his past, likes and dislikes.

“I set up an itinerary of things I love to do and places I love to see. I’m going to show you everything, in the limits that time will allow, that I love about Taipei and that I have seen and done often since I was a kid. This way, you will be able to know me better and we can get closer, naturally instead of you just asking me dozens of random questions that fly in your head. I know everything about you there is to know, but that’s because I have been researching since I first met you. For you though, you liking me at all in a romantic sense is a very recent thing, I understand. So, it’s reasonable that you don’t know so much about me as my fans might. Don’t be discouraged about it anymore. Let’s have a great trip.”

Jihoon bit his lip, biting back a smile. He was feeling extremely happy and loved right now to the point he could barely contain himself from dancing or whooping.

“It’s in two days though. Will we have enough time to pack. I’m not sure what to wear…”

“I like pink. Please pack lots of pink.”

“Oh, you do? I forgot to put that question down. Lin Lin likes pink too, huh…”

Guanlin loved to go shopping and was considered a fashionista around the campus. Jihoon had unique fashion taste that people made fun of him for. He was known as a fashion terrorist among his classmates and friends. Only Guanlin ever seemed to enjoy his outfits, much of them with bright colors like pink and yellow. Pink happened to be his favorite color, whereas he had always thought Guanlin liked orange or blue. Jihoon thought of how he was wearing pink boxers right now and wondered if he should tell Guanlin. He didn’t because it would sound like he was suggesting they do something naughty or coming on to him.

“You’re blushing a bit more than usual today, hyung. What’s on your mind? I swear we really are sleeping in different beds and I won’t attack you~” Guanlin laughed, squeezing him around the shoulders and nuzzling his temple.

“Ah, I can’t say…” Jihoon shook his head and murmured lowly.

“Hyung, tell me~”

“No way! I’d rather die!”

“There you go, exaggerating again. Then, we’re going to be late to class. It’s past time to go but I’m not going to release you,” Guanlin replied playfully with a stubborn look on his face, wrapping his arms tighter around the older boy.

Jihoon looked back at him with an even more stubborn expression. He stuck out his tongue childishly. “Suit yourself. This secret is going to my grave. Most definitely.”

 

 

On the plane, Jihoon translated the instructions for Guanlin since he had a hard time with formal language. Jihoon complained about how he was already hungry and when were they going to get served lunch, causing Guanlin to tease him with the ‘miss piggie Ji’ nickname he hated terribly. While waiting for take-off and to punish Guanlin for teasing him past the proper limits, he ignored him by playing video games. When Guanlin struggled to get the bags of the slippers, blanket, and eyepatch on, Jihoon took it for him and did it, slipping the blue clothes on his feet and helping him wear the eye patch. Their mini fight was called to a truce temporarily.

“Thank you, what would I do without my hyung? I like it when you’re being caring,” Guanlin said sweetly, flashing his gummy smile and attractive dimples.

“It’s nothing, forget about it…” Jihoon muttered, looking down and chewing on his lip, fighting a shy, flattered smile.

“Are you still mad at me? Are you going to play games the whole way? Please don’t, I’ll be lonely.”

“Hmm, okay…I will forgive you, this once.”

“Really? Can you show me your aegyo then? That’s the only way I know you’re not lying about being okay.”

“Aw…it’s embarassming….hmm…hold on, let me practice a second.”

Jihoon turned to the window and practiced some new aegyo moves he had thought of last week. Guanlin liked it when Jihoon did cheesy aegyo. Jihoon regretted showing it to him months ago because he asked him to do it all the time. He had been trying to get rid of the ‘cute’ image but with Guanlin it was going to be impossible, now that they were dating. Since Jihoon wasn’t the most affectionate or vocally cheesy kind of guy, he thought he could at least keep Guanlin satisfied and convinced of his feelings by doing this. Aegyo was something only reserved for Guanlin now and that would make his boyfriend happy, wouldn’t it?

“Goo goo gah gah,” Jihoon turned around and acted like a cute baby.

Guanlin instantly busted out laughing, sounding exactly like a dolphin, and clapping his large, pale hands enthusiastically, noisy slaps sounding throughout the air. Jihoon smiled with pride and then hid his face in his hands out of embarrassment, not believing he had done this in public. There was a little girl across the aisle pointing and gaping at him now.

Jihoon grabbed on to Guanlin’s hand as they went through the initial shaky take-off and turbulence. Guanlin always pretended to act cool, but Jihoon could sense from the way his lips tightened uncomfortably and the way he gripped the arm rest, looking out the window anxiously, that he wasn’t fully comfortable with plane rides. Of course, that made sense since this was only his second time in one. Jihoon thought rather than talking that it would be better to distract him. He took out his phone, ignoring that he wasn’t supposed to be using it, and put one headphone in each of their ears.

"Oh little girl, In this world...little girl, even if I were to lose everything... you, who is more like fate than fate itself... I’ll protect you...."

Guanlin closed his eyes and smiled, relaxing back in the seat and linking their fingers together, squeezing with affection and gratefulness.

Jihoon sang along to the chorus as he looked out the window, watching the wispy white clouds fly by in the bright blue sky.

“Shouldn’t it be not so little boy? And how do you expect to protect me when you’re so tiny and cute and sweet?”

Jihoon glared at Guanlin who was smirking at him with a mischievous tint in his eyes that suggested yet again the boy was merely trying to get a rise out of him because he found him amusing and most attractive when he was angry.

“You know about jeojang Jihoon and dorm Jihoon, right?”

“Sure, but I’m pretty sure I know which one is the real one. I have a secret to tell. Watch this…”

Guanlin gently grabbed his neck and leaned in, pecking him softly on the lips. Jihoon instantly started stuttering, smiling shyly, turning red, and couldn’t look at him.

“Lin…why…don’t…ah, no freaking fair…”

Jihoon as usual lost all ability to speak as soon as Guanlin kissed him. He almost always kissed Jihoon out of the blue because if he gave him any warning then Jihoon would try to block, avoid, or run away from his lips as much as he could. He couldn’t ever get used to the feeling during and after and he didn’t like how embarrassing he looked and acted, like now. He was used to be a cool, carefree, unaffected sort of guy but he turned to blubbering, pink, squishy goo when Guanlin showed him unusual displays of affection. He liked his boyfriend’s surprise kisses but he also didn’t.

Guanling chuckled evilly and ruffled his hair, then sat back looking like a proud, all powerful king. Which he rather was, the King of Jihoon’s heart, mind, soul, and muddled thoughts currently. “You’re too cute, hyung. Really, if I could bottle up your cute vibes and sell them, we would be rich and we could travel every weekend.”

“Hate you…meanie…” Jihoon grumbled and crossed his arms, fuming as he looked out the window and sulked, not allowing Guanlin to take his hand back.

Guanlin tired of bothering him and listening to music. He put the headphone in Jihoon’s other ear and rested his head on his shoulder, putting his long, bent legs up on the back of the seat in front. Jihoon admired how graceful he was with his limbs being as long as a grasshopper. Guanlin had proportions like a model while he was more like a bear, shorter, stockier, bulkier, and squishier all around.

 Jihoon looked him up and down as he slept for a moment, secretly admiring how handsome and chic and thin he was. He had always admired that about Guanlin and stole secret looks at him, before he had realized what that had meant once Guanlin confessed and he started looking deeper into himself. He didn’t like Guanlin to know how much he liked him because it was just sheer humiliating somehow. He wasn’t sure why he was born like this but it must be tiring for Guanlin, dating someone who wouldn’t give you any hints or say aloud that you liked them.

That worried him because what if Guanlin got tired of never clearly knowing or hearing that and then they broke up? That would really suck, having his heart broken and losing a close friend. Because Guanlin had stolen his heart, little by little, like a byungari collected pellets for a midnight snack by piling them up in its straw nest. Maybe he should try to be more open, starting from this trip, it was the most romantic thing they had done and the longest time they would have spent alone together. It was a golden opportunity he shouldn’t waste.

“Lin…I um…I like…I l-like y-you…” he whispered lowly, his voice broken, shaky, and squeaky.

His eyes popped open, his heart pounded, his palms grew sweaty, and he slightly gasped as he realized Guanlin must have heard it. Because currently Guanlin was smiling widely, pretending to still be asleep. That gangly, tall, wryly fox! How dare he!

“Go away. You’re heavy and there’s not much room. Scoot over and just lean on the chair.”

Jihoon did what he usually did when he was embarrassed at his crush or that he said or did anything remotely cheesy. He pushed Guanlin away and acted cranky. If they weren’t on a plane, he would walk away very fast and busy himself with doing something that was suddenly extremely important. Usually though, Guanlin would merely follow after him, chuckling and smirking to himself in that infuriating, teasing way, clearly knowing what was going through Jihoon’s mind.

This trip was apparently going to be different, Jihoon soon found out. Guanlin didn’t give in or let him have his way for once. He instead hugged Jihoon and pressed harder onto his shoulder, whining, “No, don’t wanna. You’re comfortable and cold. Let’s stick together. I want to be with you, hyung~”

“Ah, it’s hot and cramped and you’re too big, no, Lin, go away~” Jihoon complained, his face flaming all the way to his neck and ear tips at this point, chewing harshly on his lip as he pushed Guanlin on his chest which was surprisingly firm since he had started copying Jihoon’s routine to get ‘sexy Kang Daniel style abs’ that he insisted Jihoon would want to fondle.

 Jihoon had hardly fondled anything on Guanlin though and couldn’t imagine it. They had attempted to make out once and Jihoon had been surprised by how much he had liked it and how much he had been feeling Guanlin’s back and chest up outside his shirt that he was rather terrified to try it again. He was wondering if he was a weirdo pervert as he was still underage and how could he possibly be thinking of doing naughty things with someone who was even more minor than him, though it was true that Guanlin often acted several years more mature than himself so that he sometimes forgot who was really the hyung here. Either way, he was worried about the lack of control that occurred when they went beyond innocent pecks. He didn’t even want to think about what would happen if he started imagining that Guanlin had abs right now…

Jihoon took his hands away, feeling like they were suddenly on fire as he thought of how nice and firm Guanlin’s chest felt and itched to explore under his shirt to find out despite telling himself not to think in that direction.

“Ugh, fine, you are impossible…” he gave in and went back to sulking with his arms crossed.

Guanlin cuddled him and chuckled, even pushing his legs up against his, which caused Jihoon to be completely squished between his boyfriend and the wall of the plane. Jihoon was sweating, thinking it was much too hot from the contact. It was dangerous to have Guanlin touching him quite this much.

Jihoon wondered if he was going to even survive this plane ride, let alone this trip. Oh, lord have mercy…

 

 

When they first got to Taiwan, the first thing Guanlin suggested was that they wonder around the streets of Taipei and get some of his favorite foods because he knew that Jihoon was starving since half the ride all that Jihoon had talked about was food. Jihoon thought that Taipei wasn’t going to be much different, but he was surprised by the warm weather, the colorful signs, the older style buildings despite being in the center of downtown, the sheer number of people on scooters, and that there was nothing but Chinese characters all over. Somehow he had thought that Taiwan was more of an English speaking country but he hardly saw any English which he was ore familiar with.

He would have been a lost boy without Guanlin, which was rather embarrassing. Jihoon didn’t like the idea of being useless baggage to his boyfriend. However, Guanlin seemed to enjoy being a tour guide and somehow it fit him. Guanlin, who was usually pretty quiet and chic, today was bubbly, bouncy, and talkative. He expertly led Jihoon through the crooked, crowded, colorful, bustling with noise alleys as if he had the whole confusing maze memorized, pushing or pulling him gently away from the road, rushing passerby, and zipping scooters.

 Jihoon stuck to his side and let Guanlin hold onto him, worried that he might get in an accident or lose his way without Guanlin’s protection and guidance. It was a strange feeling being the one that needed care since usually with them it was the other way around, or at least Jihoon didn’t let Guanlin do that sort of action to him. Just because they were two boys dating, he didn’t want to feel or make Guanlin feel emasculated so they acted more like best friends who mutually cared or acted indifferent to each other. There was something in the air of this city though that made him feel like acting more romantic.

Jihoon’s heart was thumping and his skin was hot and tingling where Guanlin touched him on his shoulders, elbow, wrist, hand and lower back but at the same time he felt cherished and reassured. He wondered what people would think of them here. Guanlin had said his people were more open-minded to same sex couples and that they could be more carefree and obvious. Jihoon hoped that people felt envious when they saw them, thinking they suited each other and cared for each other expertly.

Since Guanlin loved hot pot more than anything, the first place they went to was a sort of do it yourself shabu shabu restaurant. Jihoon tried the cheese broth and found that and the original Guanlin got to be fabulous. They had the infamous mango bingsu and black sesame seed soft serve ice cream, which made Jihoon sensually moan and nearly cry out in pleasure it was so heavenly to his tongue.

“You like that hyung?” Guanlin spun around on the chair, stretching his giraffe level long legs out. Jihoon on the contrary could barely touch the floor since the stools were pretty high for his short legs.

Jihoon chewed on the plastic spoon and nodded enthusiastically. “Hmm, hmm.”

“Do you like it so much that you won’t even share with me?” Guanlin pouted, looking at the purplish ice cream that was almost gone.

“Woops…”

 

Jihoon sheepishly grinned and scooped the rest onto the spoon. He realized that he had been eating it all selfishly and hadn’t even offered a bite to Guanlin. Guanlin had been the definition of perfect boyfriend as usual, feeding him nearly half of his mango, milk, and shaved ice combination by hand like he was a baby, even wiping his mouth with a napkin.

Why was he so bad at being a boyfriend and only thinking of himself all the time? He was the one that was older. At this rate, Guanlin would think that he was in a one-sided relationship and all Jihoon really liked was food. He did have a tendency to turn every date they had into a makbang show with Guanlin as just the observer.

“Here, the rest is yours. Sorry for being a pig~” Jihoon was hypocrite, only he was allowed to refer to himself with that word, despite it was a known fact that’s what he was.

Guanlin grinned happily like an excited puppy, instantly forgiving him, as was his way. Guanlin hardly got angry nor kept it going for longer than a couple seconds. Then, he leaned forward, having to stoop his large body quite a bit to get down to his spoon. Jihoon lifted his arm higher, though it was uncomfortable. He fed Guanlin the rest of the ice cream and then wiped his pretty, thin lips with a napkin. Jihoon blushed when he thought they looked like strawberries since they were naturally red and he recalled how they actually tasted more like pineapple because that was the lip balm that Guanlin liked to use since it reminded him of home.

Why was he thinking of naughty things in the middle of the broad daylight in a public setting with a guy who was like a baby compared to him? Guanlin brushed his cheek, smirking and glancing at his mouth as if he was thinking something similar and about to prove how he wasn’t the baby in their relationship at all. Guanlin hated when Jihoon got caught thinking of him as younger and thus more immature and pure.

“It’s much sweeter knowing that we shared an indirect kiss. Shall we get back to the hotel so that we can have a real one? I’m dying to know what your mouth tastes like right now, hyung.”

“Lin Lin!” Jihoon scolded and gasped with his mouth cutely dropped wide, hitting Guanlin lightly on the chest several times. “How can you say those things?”

Guanlin chuckled evilly. “What? You were thinking it first! I think you can stop playing the innocent baby act, hyung. We’re going to be sharing one bed tonight. Or didn’t I tell you that this place only has one bed per room?”

“Neh? We’re gonna s-sleep t-together?” Jihoon nearly dropped the glass bowl in his hands, his pitch raising to ear-splitting level and his face as red as a hot pepper.

Luckily, Guanlin caught the bowl just before it tipped fully out of his grip and he didn’t tease him about over-reacting like he commonly would have.

“Hey, it’s not like we haven’t. We napped lots of times side by side on your bed while we were getting ready for finals.”

Jihoon chewed on his lip and stared at the ground, fidgeting with the frayed ends of his jacket strings. Guanlin didn’t know how nervous he had been when he had fallen asleep first in his bed. He had been torn between waking him up and sleeping on the floor, but in the end, he had put a pillow between them in case Guanlin rolled over on him or tried to cuddle.

 Although that had happened a few times, Jihoon felt like this was a whole different case. Guanlin might…expect certain things while staying several nights together and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that or if he was ready.

Guanlin reassured him with an amused twinkle in his large, deep set, long lashed eyes, “I’m not going to attack you, hyung. Stop looking like a sheep in front of a starving wolf. I haven’t done anything either and I’m not ready to as well. Relax. We will just sleep right next to each other. We don’t even need to touch if you’re not okay with it.”

Jihoon sighed with relief and smiled sweetly at him. “Thanks, Lin. You know, you’re a really great guy. I’m glad I know that.”

“I’m glad you know that as well. By the way, I get what you really mean there, hyung. I like you too. Now let’s get out of here and explore some more.”

Jihoon was pleasantly surprised by Guanlin pecking him from his forehead to his nose and then last a quick, chaste, very sweet peck on his lips. Jihoon whipped his head around in fear, but not a single person was giving them a strange or even curious look. He felt at ease and took the hand that Guanlin offered. It was nice that they could be themselves and even act romantic out in public honestly. He would have to consider the idea of moving here after they graduated if the two of them were still together.

 

 

They dropped off their bags and changed into shorts and t-shirts, both wearing matching pink shirts Jihoon had brought as a gift at the souvenir shop in the airport after learning Guanlin had him had the same favorite color. Jihoon reminded Guanlin to bring his sunglasses and put on suntan lotion so that he wouldn’t burn or feel uncomfortable with the tropical weather. They played around, putting the lotion on each other in ridiculous patterns, sharing in childish, carefree laughter.

 Jihoon felt great on holidays because it relieved him f stress instantly, and this trip was proving to be even more so. Guanlin could make him smile and laugh easily so it was like double the stress relief with him here. He told Guanlin that he loved to travel to famous places, especially ones with really fabulous scenery. Guanlin assured him that he had an itinerary that would blow Jihoon’s mind.

They went to two places that before the sun went down. They first visited the ‘Paradise of Deer’ which was a small zoo area for friendly, sweet deer of all ages and sizes. Jihoon was at first scared to pet them because he was a bit terrified of all animals that were bigger than he could fit in his hand. Guanlin noticed that despite him saying ‘oh, it’s fine, I don’t need to try,’ the way that Jihoon kept gazing and blinking at them with a mixed expression suggested that Jihoon wanted to but was afraid.

Guanlin encouraged him to feed and pet them, eventually just forcing him to do it by holding his hand and doing it with him like the parents were doing to their toddlers. Jihoon was embarrassed by it, feeling very much like a kid with his Taiwanese adopted father. Once Guanlin’s hand was on the back of his and he was touching the soft back of the deer chilling in front of them over the fence, he felt at ease and amazed. It was an interesting experience to pet a wild animal that he had never seen in Korea and it was all thanks to Guanlin pushing him that he was able to have it.

Jihoon looked up at Guanlin with wonder. Guanlin looked down at him and smiled softly, his good looks making him radiate like he was in the middle of a drama shoot. Jihoon looked away, feeling blinded and bashful.

“Where did my Jihoonie hyung go? Oh, that’s where you went. I could hardly tell. It’s like you’ve met your own kind in a family reunion. They look just like you. That pretty, cute face and those soft, gentle, humongous eyes I could get lost in and radiate sweet innocence.”

“Enough with the flattery. I’m hardly as cute as these guys…” Jihoon muttered, hiding a smile from him by ducking his head, thankful for once that he was way shorter than Guanlin.

Guanlin rubbed his shoulder and brought him into his chest. Jihoon wasn’t ready to admit it aloud but it was the snuggliest place on Earth and he was kind of hoping that he’d be able to sleep in his boyfriend’s heavenly embrace tonight.

“Are you thinking about the bed again?”

“No!”  
“You are,” Guanlin laughed.

“No, I told you I’m not!” Jihoon huffed and turned out of Guanlin’s grip, stomping off towards the coral with a bunch of spotted fawns.

Guanlin shook his head and chuckled, murmuring under his breath about how ridiculous and irresistible cute yet handsome Jihoon was as he followed at a slower pace.

 

 

After their fun at the deer farm, they ate dinner while exploring the largest night market there. Guanlin told Jihoon all sorts of entertaining stories about coming with friends, mostly from his old basketball team, after they completed their late academies or practices. They would scrap together their allowance and get all sorts of snacks.

 Some market foods were too strange and greasy for Jihoon to try, since in Taiwan just as well as China the people ate pretty much anything imaginable, including frogs, scorpions, bugs and even pigeons. Guanlin was able to convince him to try his favorites, some handmade fish ball soup, pineapple cakes, sugar coated hard fruit on skewers, and iced taro balls, all of which he loved and wished that he could take back to Korea to share with their classmates. Jihoon kept eating even when Guanlin had stopped until he was so stuffed it was hard to walk back to their dorms.

Guanlin offered to piggy back him since several months ago there had been times where Jihoon did it for him but Jihoon refused, embarrassed that despite he was ten centimeters shorter he was definitely heavier than his boyfriend. He had always been a bit sensitive about these things, thinking that he would probably be more attractive if he was taller and more slender, but he wasn’t going to say a thing about that. Otherwise, he would have to hear Guanlin ranting and praising his looks and hundreds of positive physical and inward attributes for the next hour. Jihoon was tired from walking all day when he usually was the lazy, homebody type, so he just wanted to get back to the hotel and rest his feet, even if that meant that he’d have to deal with the spending the first night in the same bed with his boyfriend.

When they got back to the hotel, they both took turns taking showers. Guanlin seemed to sense that Jihoon was nervous and tired, so he put on the playlist that they had made of music that they both enjoyed they usually played while they were studying together in their dorm rooms. They did their skin care routine and slipped into pajamas, careful not to peek at each other out of respect for the other’s wish in Guanlin’s case and out of cowardice in the case of Jihoon.

 Both of them were of course curious what the other looked like without a shirt on, but they were neither in a hurry to go beyond kissing until they became adults, at least one of them anyway. Which would be Jihoon in a few months actually. Though Jihoon couldn’t picture himself doing anything super physically intimate that involved the removal of clothes.

 Guanlin insisted that they watch an animated movie called Spirited Away because the famous Jiu Fen Old Street they were going to be visiting the next day was featured as the setting there. Although they were simply cuddling innocently under the blankets, sitting back against the bed frame, Jihoon had a hard time focusing on the movie. He was much too aware of where his body and Guanlin’s were touching and that they were all alone for the rest of the night. There wasn’t going to be anything to stop Guanlin if he wanted to try something except himself, and Jihoon didn’t have confidence in his self-control looking at how wild he’d gotten the last time they made out.

Jihoon was trying to avoid all instances that would give Guanlin an opening to kiss him, and thus he couldn’t focus much on the movie at all. Guanlin, on the other hand, was incredibly into the movie, laughing or sighing like he was emotionally invested in the plot. His arm stayed around Jihoon’s shoulders, squeezing him and forcing his head slightly onto his shoulder, tucked under his arm and trapping him from escape.

 Jihoon couldn’t help slipping down and then he had to put his arms around Guanlin’s waist to get comfortable. Guanlin rested his chin on top of Jihoon’s head and occasionally looked down at him and kissed his temple, murmuring something sweet that made Jihoon smile behind his neck pillow he was using as a stuffed animal, cheeks heat, and heart pound. Guanlin had a terrible effect on him, he realized. He was truly falling in love, whereas up until less than a month ago he hadn’t known what that emotion really was or if he was ever going to be even capable of feeling it towards anyone outside of family.

“Shall we sleep? You don’t seem very interested in it. And well, we’ve seen enough of the place for you to appreciate it when we go there,” Guanlin suggested, shutting off the TV.

“Sorry, I’m just um…distracted and a bit tired…” Jihoon murmured, faking a yawn.

“Ah, I see why you’re tired, but why would you be distracted. I smell too good?” Guanlin joked, sliding down to lay on the bed and dragging the younger boy with him.

“Yes, but er, no that’s not…why…um, you now, let’s just shut the lights off and sleep…”

Jihoon reached over to the light and then tried to sleep on the far side of the bed. Guanlin, however, followed over to his side and held on to him. He was forced back onto Guanlin’s chest.

“I want to cuddle, hyung. I won’t try anything, promise. Let’s just cuddle until we fall asleep for once. We’ve never tried that because you’re so skittish. I know you put a pillow between us those other times. I’m not going to allow it tonight. We have been dating a month, as of today. This level of progress I think is natural. If you do that I’m going to be all sulky and bummed out tomorrow,” Guanlin warned, forcing Jihoon’s head on his chest and his arms around his waist.

Despite that he knew that Guanlin couldn’t see his face in the dark, Jihoon buried it in his pajama shirt and squeezed him, as if in an attempt to control his burst of feelings. Oh, my god, I’m cuddling with Guanlin in bed, what a crazy day this is, he thought nervous but ecstatic.

“Okay. We can cuddle a bit…” he murmured, his voice low and muffled in the flannel fabric.

That first night luckily, Guanlin didn’t try anything besides a couple sweet pecks on his forehead and nose. Jihoon was able to sleep deeply, feeling like he had enver felt so peaceful, cozy and warm as he did in his boyfriend’s loving embrace.

 

 

The next day, the happy couple woke up late. They explored some famous parks and got delicious breakfast. Following that, they took a bus to see these golden waterfalls. They were mini waterfalls that’s underlying rocks and even the water was a slightly sparkling golden color. They played in the water, took pictures, and enjoyed a small hike.

 After that, they took another bus to the Jiu Fen Old Street. The place was incredibly crowded and the allyways full of shops and food vendors impossibly narrow. To Jihoon, it was overwhelming. It was a lot to take in and incredibly noisy and bustling. Guanlin did a great job at making sure he wasn’t bustled or getting lost and he translated lots of signs and things vendors were saying so that he understood what was going on.

There, Jihoon learned about how Guanlin had gone here for a family trip at least once or twice a year. Jihoon learned that him and his older sister were close and had a lot in common and they both loved this place, but it was hard for his parents because they would often run off and get lost in the crowd with their excitement to play and eat.

There was one area with these very rustic looking shops centered on both sides of train tracks. There was a real train that went through it, so they had to watch out for the warning and beeps signaling it was on it’s way. The reason that Guanlin took Jihoon there was because they could write their wishes on these giant paper lanterns and send them up in the sky for their prayers to be answered. It was something the Taiwanese did often, thinking it was the best way to get their wishes up into heaven.

They both agreed to write on different sides with the calligraphy brushes and not show each other what they wrote until just before it was released. Jihoon fully intended to jump on Guanlin and cover his eyes just after they released it though so he would ever know. That was because he wrote about Guanlin.

‘I wish that I will be able to get closer to Guanlin and be a better boyfriend who is open with my feelings and affections.’

That really was his wish and he had come here planning on getting to know Guanlin better and opening up more and being the sort of boyfriend that he thought Guanlin deserved. Though he realized that last night that it was going to be a lot more difficult than him being able to tackle this shyness and insecurity he had than just a day or two. He might not even be able to make progress during this trip, so he was asking for help from the gods, or whoever was up in the sky controlling things. At least he wanted to say that he loved Guanlin, right to his face while he was fully awake.

Guanlin dropped his brush and while Jihoon was picking it up, he peeked at the message.

“Aw….” He cooed, a silly, foolish smile of total bliss coming across his handsome face.

“Don’t look! You promised! Lin, that was so evil! How could you?” Jihoon threw a tantrum and pouted, smacking his back wildly.

Guanlin turned around and glomped him harder than ever, to the point Jihoon would almost complain about suffocating if it didn’t feel so darn nice. He hugged Guanlin back in a gentler manner, murmuring wordless objections into his firm, cottony chest, his face red as a tomato yet again. He was surprised it wasn’t permanently dyed that color at this point with how he always seemed to be like this around Guanlin the last couple weeks sine he realized his feelings and Guanlin had gotten more and more affectionate.

“You are so freaking cute, hyung. Is that why you’ve been weird? You don’t need to rush yourself. I know that I liked you first and you are still getting used to even the idea. It’s going to take time for you to love me the same way and it’s going to take even longer for you to be comfortable expressing it. I come from a more expressive culture and family, that’s all. I don’t want you to change or stress out, hyung. I know that you like me. It’s the little things that prove it to me, like how shy you get when I look at you for a long time or compliment you. Or the way that you care for me, sometimes when you don’t even mean to. You are very sweet and it’s obvious how you feel to me. As for getting to know me better, we are here and we have all the time in the world. Thank you for trying to be a good boyfriend, but you don’t need to try so hard. You already are. That is why I love you.”

Guanlin whispered this in his ear so that no one else could hear, not that they would have understood because he wasn’t speaking it in Chinese or English. He punctuated his sweet words by rubbing Jihoon’s back and kissing down his temple.

“I…l-l…you know..I lo- li-like you too…” Jihoon tried to say it, embarrassed that he couldn’t get it all the way out.

Guanlin laughed softly and pulled back. He dabbed at the sweat beading on Jihoon’s forehead, brushing aside his wavy hair. “Wow, hyung. It must be really hard for you to say those words. Look at how much you’re sweating. It’s fine. I know what you want to see. I see right through you into what’s deep into your heart. I know you’ve already saved me in there. It belongs to me and mine belongs to you.”

Guanlin held Jihoon’s hand to his heart, tipped up his chin, and leaned down to kiss him. Jihoon wished he could say it but it was really too difficult for him just yet. He had never said those words to anyone besides his family and animals and it had more meaning now than it had then. He still had a huge wall of shyness to get over inside his own mind.

 He gripped Guanlin’s shirt and stood on his tiptoes, meeting the other’s soft, parted lips eagerly, half wishing they weren’t in a public place so they could make out and really drown in their feelings for each other. Jihoon felt like he might have better luck expression what he was feeling through his body since he was apparently total crap with words.

This kiss lasted a long time and it got Guanlin sweating as he grew excited. This time it was Jihoon’s turn to be amused and caringly wipe it away, teasing him about being a total pervert despite he was so much younger.

 

 

That night, they went to visit Guanlin’s family. They were having a party and Jihoon met a lot more people than he had expected or Guanlin had cared to warn him about. Guanlin had figured they would do something like that but he hadn’t wanted Jihoon to panic and stress on his holiday, so he hadn’t told him about the possibility.

 His family treated Jihoon like their own son already. They were interested in him and very sweet. Guanlin worked hard to translate and the whole occasion was enjoyable. Jihoon saw pictures of Guanlin as a kid and heard some funny and embarrassing stories from Guanlin’s mother and sister who were quite the chatterboxes. If they were suspicious about the nature of Jihoon’s relationship with Guanlin beyond a close friend, they didn’t act oddly about it.

“That wasn’t so bad, right? I told you you were worried about nothing. My parents loved you. That’s all that’s important.”

“Yeah, they did seem to like me. I like them too. They’re all good people. I can see how you ended up so great.”

“You think I’m a great person? Wow, what a confession~ The ‘love’ word is coming up next then?”

“Stop it~” Jihoon bumped his shoulder into his side and smacked his chest, biting a bashful smile and giggling.

“I don’t want to stop it. Let’s have fun tonight, hyung. After that kiss earlier today, wow, I’m ready for more…” Guanlin whispered huskily in his ear, dragging him to the bed.

Jihoon squealed and tried to escape. Guanlin used his long limbs to an advantage. A few minutes later he was wrapped around Jihoon and had him trapped on the bed, attacking his face and lips with playful, noisy, sloppy kisses. Jihoon squirmed and giggled uncontrollably but he had pretty much ceased actually trying to escape. Being in Guanlin’s arms felt much too heavenly and, to be honest, he had been thinking about that kiss all day. Now he was craving for more, but struggling with his shyness to initiate it.

Guanlin seemed to be waiting for him though, as if he knew that Jihoon was having an inward battle this trip and he was going to be encouraging him to win it. They both froze and looked at each other’s lips. Jihoon bit his lip and held Guanlin’s jaw gently. He gulped and his cheeks flamed, but he pushed hard through his nervousness.

“Kiss me, Lin, please, like we did last week…”

It was a tiny, squeaky whisper, but he had achieved a major breakthrough. Shy Jihoon had asked for affection for the first time in his life, subtly admitting that he liked and wanted this amazing foreigner.

“Of course. I thought you’d never ask.”

Guanlin then pushed him back on the bed and laid on top of him, crashing his mouth to Jihoon’s parted, gasping, desperate ones. They sucked and lapped at each other like they were drinking water after being parched for days, but the make out session was still gentle and inexperienced with the slightest bit of pure awkwardness. They tried not to laugh as they bumped teeth and noses and spilled a bit of drool, focusing only on the new things it made them feel.

 There was a slight tingle of hot desire flowing through their veins that neither was familiar with because they had only felt it one other time and neither really knew how to act on it. They just continued to let it build and build by doing the thing that they enjoyed, swirling their tongues together and sucking and nibbling on each other’s swelling, sugary lips.

 Jihoon’s hands were the first to move. First, they dug into Guanlin’s short black hair, then they explored the solid, sleek lines of his slightly muscular back, then they journeyed as if they had a mind of their own to his chest. Guanlin in turn touched his sides, then ventured under the shirt, petting him all over. They were both shocked when Jihoon bit Guanlin’s lip, shivering and moaning out of the blue.

 They both stopped immediately after and laid on the bed, panting, sweating, hearts pounding as they looked up at the ceiling. They were red in the face, turned on, rather terrified yet excited by what was just happening, and embarrassed to look at each other. For the two virgins who had only made out the second time, this was too much too fast for their minds to handle.

“Um, well…that sure escalated fast…” Guanlin eventually said with a breathless laugh and comforting pat on Jihoon’s arm.

“I’ll say. Making out is dangerous for us. Maybe we better take it slower. We might end up going farther than we intended if we keep doing that all night…”

“Ah, really? You want to stop already? We still have one more night here though….” Guanlin sounded disappointed.

“Hmm, let’s stop for tonight at least. Maybe we can try again tomorrow. But, um, let’s be careful about grabby hands.”

“You started it.”

Jihoon chewed on his lip and covered his eyes with the back of his hand, groaning with humiliation. “I know. What’s wrong with me? I’m a pervert…”

Guanlin rolled on his side, propping his head up on one hand. “Hardly hyung. You didn’t even put your tongue further in my mouth once and you didn’t put your hands under my shirt. You are far from being a pervert just yet. I heard it’s natural to have urges, especially at your age. You are probably considered a saint compared to most guys at school. You’re the only one you know of who’s 19 and hasn’t dated, remember?”

“Ah, that’s true. Thanks for making me feel not so awful…” Jihoon rolled over on his side and snuggled into Guanlin’s chest, seeking comfort.

Guanlin embraced him ever so gently and kissed the crown of his head several times. “I love this new you, hyung. You are already so much more open and bold. I bet just around the corner you will be able to say your feelings just like I have. I love you.”

“Hmm, thank you…you too…” Jihoon merely murmured, feeling to shy to meet his face and instead kissing his warm, smoothe neck.

I swear, I am going to say that I love him before this trip is up, somehow or another. I am making progress one baby step at a time.  How hard can it be? It’s just a couple words and I already feel that way. Just wait a bit more, sweet Lin…

 

 

The next morning, the couple visited Guanlin’s old school. Jihoon met some of his professors, saw his classroom, and was surprised to see pictures and trophies from his star player basketball days. It seemed that Guanlin had been not only popular for being a fantastic baller but he had also been one of the top students in the entire school. Jihoon felt intimidated by how his boyfriend was not only handsome, tall, but talented and intelligent as well.

After the school visit, they went on a hiking adventure. Jihoon made sure to pack a bag with sunscreen, hats, towels, water, snacks, and bug repellant spray because Guanlin was not so great at thinking of things like that, which made him wonder how he had got such high grades in the past. Guanlin said that he had gone to the natural park in the mountains often on the weekends to exercise, clear his mind, and ‘purify’ his heart.

 Jihoon had had no clue that Guanlin was this deep, to the point that he would go to silent, serenic places to listen to the sounds of trickling spring water and meditate. It made sense when he thought about it though. It explained how Guanlin often seemed twice his actual age and said things that reminded him of something that Jihoon’s grandpa would have said. He could be incredibly mature and philosophical and wise, giving some of the greatest advice Jihoon had ever heard to his hyungs.

He still needed to be cared for here and there. Guanlin was the sort of guy that had a one-track mind and got too enthusiastic. Jihoon was there to get him focused so he stayed out of danger and didn’t miss the important, smaller things.

They crossed a famous wooden suspension bridge that went over a valley river. It seemed to go on for miles.

“If you’re scared, hold my hand, hyung. I’ll protect you.”

Jihoon smirked and brushed away his hand playfully. “I should be saying that to you. You’re the one who looks pale as a ghost now. Can’t handle a couple meters up?” he teased.

Guanlin gave a crooked, chic half-smile that was ridiculously attractive that Jihoon’s steps faltered on the first step of the bridge.

“I’m just pale naturally. That’s my skin color. Oh, you seem like you’re a bit scared there. Hold on to me, hyung. You’re the little boy in that song we listened to the other day and I’m the taller boy that’s going to protect you from everything scary in this world.”

Jihoon wasn’t scared of heights at all. He was slightly scared of the acts of stupidity that his body might cause him to have at how attracted he was by his boyfriend though. Hence the reason he held on to Guanlin’s waist as he walked slow and careful behind. The bridge was surprisingly shaky and squeaky, which gave them both a thrill but they weren’t paranoid to think that the entire thing was going to break. It was reinforced with a ton of wires and hundreds to thousands of people walked on it every day without issue, after all.

The scene along the long, shaky bridge was breathtaking, so people stopped to admire it. The brown-green river stretched out in curves between dark and light green fluffy looking leafy, lush trees. Jihoon held on the rope and leaned over, enjoying the cool breeze and the smell of fresh, clean nature. Guanlin stuck close to his back so people could pass by and rested his head on his shoulder, an arm wrapped around his waist for support in case Jihoon should fall or tip. Jihoon appreciated the gesture, his skin tingling and heating at the contact, biting back a smile.

“It’s beautiful.”

“Not as much as you.”

Jihoon scrunched up his nose in distaste and pinched Guanlin’s sharp nose. “Ew, cheese alert much.”

“Didn’t I tell you I’m part French?” Guanlin joked.

“No, you didn’t. Oui, monsieur, adieu.”

“Oui, monsieur, voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir?”

They spoke random French to each other, some of which was from a song they didn’t understand and shared in bright laughter.

On the other side not far from the suspension bridge was the jade colored, breathtaking waterfall called Shi Fen Falls. It was known as Taiwan’s Niagra Falls. It wasn’t nearly as big but it had the same similar aura about it. People crowded around to see, which was bothersome for Jihoon since the majority were taller than him so he couldn’t see the entirety of the falls well which he was curious about.

Guanlin chuckled and pat his head like he was petting those baby deer the other day. Jihoon turned and glared at him with a ‘hing’ face Guanlin found adorable, like an angry Sitzu puppy. “I wonder if the air feels and smells different in your miniature universe? Hop on my back. I’ll help you see better.”

“Um, no. I’m heavier than the last time we tried. I ate too many of those ‘crazy’ cupcakes….” He waved his hands quickly in refusal, his face reddening at even the idea of piggy backing Guanlin in front of this massive crowd.

“Hyung, don’t be embarrassed. No one is going to pay us any mind. I told you that Taiwanese people don’t care about that sort of thing as well. Hop on.”

Guanlin squatted and bent over in front of Jihoon, waving his hands for him to mount him. Jihoon continued to refuse vehemently, turning redder and squeaker. Guanlin proved just how stubborn and persuasive and persistent he could be. He wouldn’t relent. Eventually, Jihoon gave in just to get him to stop pestering him. Guanlin’s back was surprisingly sturdy, firm, warm, his shoulders broad and solid. Guanlin didn’t have much of an issue at all lifting Jihoon up on his back, possibly because he did regular exercise and possibly that his thinness was deceptive.

 

 

The last destination of their trip was arguably what others would say was the best. It was indeed the most famous and the highest up place that they went to. They went to the observatory of the skyscraper tower, Taipei 101, which was one of the tallest towers in the world. They were trying to enjoy the view from inside, but there were too many people inside and their cameras caused a glare that made it difficult to see outside the windows without putting their noses right up on the glass. When the lights went off, Jihoon got temporarily lost in the crowd and couldn’t see well. Luckily, since they had held hands so often, Jihoon was able to feel Guanlin’s hand out and grab it in the dark so they could find each other again, righting everything that had momentarily gone wrong in their world.

Guanlin suggested, though it was a bit cold and windy, they go to the outside observation deck. It was chilly, so Jihoon shivered and rubbed his arms. Guanlin rubbed his arms and pressed up against him from behind, leading him to a secluded area. They found a place where they could see clearly that was blocked by the wind and there weren’t any people. It was a quiet and romantic setting. Guanlin hugged him from the side, resting his chin on top of Jihoon’s head.

“Lin…I have something to tell you…” Jihoon whispered a minute later.

“Sure, go on. I’m listening.”

Jihoon cleared his threat and tested out his voice. For once, he felt like he could get this out nice and clear without any mishaps or constant stuttering. He grabbed Guanlin’s hands and looked up at him with a warm, sweet smile.

“Lin, I love you.”

“Aw~” Guanlin seemed to positively melt, his face splitting into an ear-splitting, gummy grin, his eyes almost disappearing, crinkling up hardcore at the corners into crow’s feet. “You finally said it hyung! I’m proud of you. What a kodak moment. Let’s take a picture of this~ No, even better, let’s take a video!”

Jihoon pouted. This wasn’t exactly how he had imagined his first confession going. He had expected hugs and kisses and at least the same words said back to him.

“You don’t want to say you love me too?” he sulked, glaring at the starry sky.

Guanlin chuckled and shook him as he held up the phone, screen facing them and with the camera turned on. “I will, hyung. On video. I want you to say it again. One, two, three…”

Jihoon looked at Guanlin, trying to ignore the camera and hoping this wasn’t able to pick up his blush even with the flash turned on full blast. “I love you…”

“I love you too!”

Then, Guanlin enthusiastically kissed him and even got him on video doing that, including the shriek, scolding, and variety of slapping that occurred afterwords. Luckily, Guanlin loved even dorm Jihoon more than anyone or anything in the whole world. Especially, now that Jihoon had conquered one of his biggest fears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, this is my first ever Panwink POV fiction ever, you realize! Because I have never been a fan of Jihoon, it's difficult for me to write about Jihoon from Lin's POV or write in Jihoon's POV. So I have only ever written about them from a third person's POV as side romance characters. This is kind of a huge milestone for me. I think that I'm getting over my aversion to Jihoon that I've had ever since he first got number one for his wink. Progress yay~ *self applause *ay ay ay dance with Ddongwu.
> 
>  This story was pretty fun. Well, I like 2park as well as Panwink, though I always felt like panwink was more believable to me because Jihoon gets more shy around Guanlin, especially when he looks at him or compliments him. Either is possible though really. Little slut Jihoon who can be shipped with anyone, a lot like Ong. Just everyone wants a piece of this handsome cutie and he's willing to be friendly with lots of people, who knows what's really in his heart. I personally prefer him with Lin. But I will be attempting 2park next month~! So, look forward to that if you're more into 2park. Well, there's a ton of 2park fics on aff and a03 to read already so you don't need to necessarily wait for me, right? I hope you liked this story and tell me what you thought~
> 
> Lilica is this awesome girl right here and her stories are probs better than mine(he's under Lilicadearest in aff too). Hope you check them out if you haven't already: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilicaDearest/pseuds/LilicaDearest
> 
> This story was a prompt idea and graduation present for favorite author and one of my loyal readers! Lilica, my queen, my uber, my pretty adorable pure lamb of a dongsaeng, thank you for your comments, forcing me onto twitter, your advice and ideas about writing, and helping me with acronyms. I'm glad to have a friend like you who's my mutual and pretty similar to me with hobbies and personality and thoughts and just everything. I hope that you survive through graduation with a healthy body and sound mind and I wish you all the best of luck finding a job and with your newfound lovelife. I will stop bragging about being your matchmaker, hmm...not soon but someday haha. If there's anyone you need to talk to about anything or just fangirl about w1 or any other artist, you know where to find me. I'm looking forward to seeing your writing again in the future. You are such a fantastic writer and I shouldn't even be compared to you ever, I think I will cry if that happens because I feel so inferior to your writing skills lol. Yet you read my crud anyway, despite your busy schedule and other things you want to do, thanks so much forever and ever(esp for putting up with ongniel span when they're not even your biases). It's okay if it takes ages to update or comment ^^ I'm really glad I met you, let's stay friends for a long time and meet in your country or Korea!
> 
> The next chapter will be up maybe this weekend or early next week. It's Minhwan!
> 
> <3 Raina


	6. Downpour(Minhwan)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On a rainy day while the Minhwan couple are staying inside their home to clean, Jaehwan gets distracted by the rain falling on the window, which gives him inspiration for a song. Him and Minhyun reminisce about their angsty past before they were able to get together. Both with artistic talents, they watch the rain fall as they write songs and poetry together about each other and their intense love. They clean up the house together, Jaehwan offering for the first time in two years to stay in and help. Minhyun makes it up to Jaehwan for hurting him in the past with some passionate intimacy. (Yes, there is smut at the end)

Will it stop now?

These raindrops, these tears?

I don’t want to get wet with rain

And tremble with cold.

Some day, the cold rain will become warm tears

And fall down.

It’s alright, it’s just a passing downpour.

It’s how I feel after I met you.

I haven’t lost the happy memories to the rain.

When the rain stops, let’s meet again.

We will smile again and be together.

         --Sonagi(Downpour) by I.O.I, covered on P101 by vocal team Jaehwan, Minhyun, Jisung, Sungwoon and Hyunbin

 

 

“Jae, what's wrong?"

"Hmm?"

 Jaehwan looked up at Minhyun dressed in an apron with bandana around his long, black hair to keep his clothes and hair untouched by the dust as he cleaned. Jaehwan wondered what the extremely concerned look was for on his roommate's face. Minhyun pointed to his cheek. Jaehwan reached up and felt wetness there. He looked at his fingers in surprise, seeing clear droplets.

"Oh? What are these?" He sniffled and laughed sheepishly, wiping the tears with the back of his hand. "I was thinking of a song while watching the rain falling down the window. Sonagi, downpour in English, it's quite a beautiful yet sad image, right? I was thinking of the past and got sentimental."

Minhyun smiled softly but still had concern in his eyes. "Aw, that sounds like you, silly sentimental Jaeni. Can I hear what you have so far? And what were you thinking of that made you cry? Unless it's about me depriving you of hot times this morning since I was eager to clean our filthy house with us finally having an excuse to stay in. I think I’ve heard about as much of that as I can take…"

 Minhyun put the towel and spray into the pockets of his utility cleaning apron which had been a birthday present from Jaehwan and wrapped his arms around Jaehwan's neck, gently embracing him. Jaehwan looked at the heavily condensated, foggy window, reaching up to brush Minhyun's smooth, cool hands and make them warmer. He didn't smell as good as usual since he had been working around cleaning chemicals, but there was still the familiar hint of fresh, minty Minhyun that he found comforting and also arousing.

Jaehwan was pensive as he watched the clear, rather cute blobs of raindrops trickling, racing, and compiling together leaving streaks on the foggy, gray pane. It was calming, beautiful, serene and somehow made him think of sadder times.

“It’s alright, it’s just a passing downpour. It’s how I feel after I met you. I haven’t lost the happy memories to the rain. When the rain stops, let’s meet again. We will smile again and be together…”

He sang off the top of his head, expressing those feelings he had had when him and Minhyun has first met. It was supposed to have been a happy event. They had always imagined it would be.

 

 

For two years they had been pen pals. Minhyun was living in Japan at the time. It had been a way for Jaehwan to learn Japanese. They had grown close, shared secrets, felt things, developed affections slowly. Then, Minhyun had moved back to Korea and they set up a plan to finally meet for the first time.

 They had met on a rainy day similar to this, at a bus stop. Minhyun had been there to break up with him, because his parents would never accept his orientation. He hadn't wanted to hurt Jaehwan by getting his hopes up, but it had already been too late.

Minhyun had sent Jaehwan pictures through their letters--they had kept their correspondences the old-fashioned way, finding it much more romantic and fascinating. Jaehwan had been imagining an intimate, exciting future. Minhyun had not acted the sweet, caring, affectionate way he had in his letters when they had met--to drive Jaehwan away and keep him discouraged and detached--making Jaehwan hurt enough to sob.

They created a melodrama that day in the downpour at an empty, flooded, gloomy bus stop. They had argued, Jaehwan had cried rivers that mixed with the flowing water from the downpour, and Minhyun had continued to act cold, logical, and literally shove him away.

 Lots of things had happened since that day. They both had gone into music, they had bumped into each other again through their mutual career, Minhyun apologized, Jaehwan refused to accept that, Minhyun pursued him and came out to his family, Minhyun had gotten disowned and kicked out, Jaehwan had taken Minhyun into his apartment supposedly until he got stuff figured out. Then they had gotten together somehow not much longer after that and Minhyun had just never left.

 Their life was great now. They were in love and living their happily ever after, their troubles far in the past. Jaehwan didn't know why this rainy day reminded him of that day, the time when he had first learned just how awful real heartbreak was, the excruciatingly painful day that made his first depressing, bitter, anti-love, super angsty album that had become a hit and made him thousands. Jaehwan was rich and successful but when he thought of that day he felt poor, young, lonely, gloomy, and terrified.

 

 

"You were thinking of the day we met, weren't you?" Minhyun could tell from the gloomy rain related contents that he was thinking of the darkest day in their history they had both made a promise and hard effort to never recall or discuss.

"I know it's never going to be enough, but I am sorry. I was young and foolish. I am sorry I chose my family over true love. I regret doing that to you immensely, Jaeni. All the years I robbed of us. Sorry a million raindrops over..." Minhyun whispered, squeezing his lover tight and kissing his cheek ever so gently.

 Jaehwan sniffled and wiped at the small rivers on his cheek. The downpour outside continued, the gentle pattering of the rain filling the silence with a soothing tune. "I forgave you forever ago. Sorry that the rain brings this annoying, troublesome sentimental side out of me. I’m not holding grudges or even think about those times."

"Well, that’s good to hear. I don’t think about it either. We’re too busy and happy now to. That song was beautiful though. Sad yet hopeful and very romantic. I think it would be great on an album with some piano or violin accompaniment."

 "Yeah, it's a different feeling than my first album. Definitely more positive. You think this song is worth jotting down?"

"Most definitely. I will go get it for you, my musical genius."

“Thank you very much, my lovely muse. I love you.”

“Love you too. Don’t you ever forget I do. I always did. Even that day I was putting all my energy into acting like I didn't.”

 Minhyun squeezed and kissed him one last time before disappearing. Jaehwan continued to him the song and think of some more lyrics. Minhyun came back a minute later with his guitar and idea notebook. Minhyun sat on the cushioned, wide window sill and wrote in his own mini book which contained letters in the form of poetry and often glancing over at Jaehwan the singer hard at work with a small smile.

 Minhyun thought the one time that Jaehwan looked cool and incredibly handsome was when he was at work and singing. Jaehwan most other times was an old-fashioned, clumsy, unfunny goof, though somehow Minhyun had found that all attractive. Jaehwan was admirable, talented, deep, sensitive, caring, sweet, and mature most of the time for his age. Minhyun couldn't imagine any other person in his life would be better.

Which is why he had decided to cut off his parents. If they couldn't accept the love of his life Jaehwan or even give him a chance, then he didn't need those sort of blind people in his life . Jaehwan was perfect and incredibly lovable, his parents might have known that if they just looked past their prejudices for a second. He hadn't regretted his decision for a single moment the past year. Jaehwan filled the void completely left by them and spilled over. He hardly had a stressful or sad day living with Jaehwan.

He hated to see though that Jaehwan may still have scars left over from his past childish mistakes and knew there wasn't much he could do for him but continue to be loving.

Jaehwan glanced up at him, singing the lyrics that were beautiful and poetic yet heart-wrenching and gloomy. Minhyun blew a kiss to him, slightly embarrassed to be caught staring but quick to show his love and affection as usual since he had years of being cold to make up for. Jaehwan paused in singing to smile shyly, his eyes brightening up with a familiar love and adoration.

Minhyun was addicted to the way that Jaehwan looked at him since all those years ago. It was full of devotion and not a lick of blame or hate which he deserved for tearing the singer's heart apart--he knew it well. Minhyun had listened to that first album for several months, often crying and hating himself.

 

 

Once Minhyun was done writing, he went back to cleaning and called up a friend. Jaehwan was just finishing up writing the song. They met standing in front of the rainy window and hugged gently. They shared a sweet, innocent, romantic kiss.

"I called Seongwoo. I think you need to get out of the house away from this gloomy atmosphere. I know that you’re in the song-writing zone but I’m worried. You shouldn’t stay down for much longer. That mood maker will make you feel better. I have to stay here and finish up cleaning."

 "I would rather stay here and help you clean, to be honest." Jaehwan smiled, his mandu cheeks puffing out making him look like a chipmunk.

Minhyun scoffed and checked his forehead, worried he was delusional from a cold. Jaehwan didn't have a fever. "What is wrong? You hate cleaning."

Jaehwan smiled as he rested his chin on Minhyun’s belly and hugged his waist, looking up with adoration. "No, not really. I could never hate what you like, Minnie baby. I want to do what you like to do together on our rest day. I just want to be with you. We don't get enough time together as is."

"Okay, but cleaning, hmm..." Minhyun hesitated, biting his lip and playing with Jaehwan's dark curly hair.

"You are worried I will do it wrong? I learned well from watching you every day. I can do it well, trust me. Just this once let me help you clean. Hmm, baby? Please~"

Minhyun shook his head, looking into his pleading, sparkling eyes, tugging at a few wryly curls. "Hmm, I think I'm going to regret this. I see an argument in the future. But if it's what you want..."

Minhyun called to tell Seongwoo his comedy act wasn't needed today and he would take care of Jaeni sitting. Seongwoo, the actor, didn't mind, just said he was going to go back to snuggling with his sleeping boyfriend, the cat trainer Daniel. They were a funny couple but they were both infamous for being lazy. They would probably be in bed all weekend except when they went to the kitchen to get ramen.

Seongwoo and Jaehwan were best friends since grade school. Seongwoo was a funny guy that always cheered Jaehwan up and put out his psycho laugh that still sort of startled and set Minhyun on edge though he found it uniquely charming now. Some things were different than what he had expected when they had exchanged letters, but it had been interesting finding all those differences out. Now he was in love more with Jaehwan than he had ever been.

 

 

Minhyun told Jaehwan where he had finished off in the living room and what was left to do. They watched and chuckled with amusement as Minhyun's circular cleaning robot passed them, getting stuck between the sofa and the coffee table. They both had found the gift from their friends quite interesting and cute. His name was Roger.

It was the closest thing they were allowed to have to a pet. Minhyun would faint every other day at the amount of dander and fur collected. Jaehwan was allergic, so lucky for Minhyun he never suggested the idea.

 Minhyun had Jaehwan first help him dust. They wore masks, aprons, and bandanas, laughing at how they looked like bandits or doctors. Jaehwan recalled the time Minhyun had dressed up as a doctor for Halloween complete with tools and official looking lab coat and some grandma on the street had followed him down the street asking about her various ailments because the look suited him that well.

They sang as they worked, both of them guys who liked ballads or pop songs only and had amazing voices. Jaehwan was surprised that he found cleaning fun when he actually did it with someone. Then again, it was probably only like this with Minhyun.

 Some people might find Minhyun rather boring but for Jaehwan he found him amusing. Minhyun had moments of cuteness and hilarity in random bursts among his serious, mature, silent moments. It was sort of like hunting for treasure on a deserted island. Sometimes he did an ajussi dance that was the cutest thing Jaehwan had ever seen. He had moments he did something cheesy or pulled a comical gag as well.

 Minhyun basically only showed his cute, comical side once he was really comfortable with someone and since they were the closest to each other in the world now, he saw it often. Jaehwan laughed as Minhyun did his butt wiggling, arm stretching dance while dusting off the books in the bookshelf with the purple feather duster.

Later, Minhyun gave him the cleaning slippers. Jaehwan had fun going around the room mopping the wooden floors with them, sometimes doing moonwalks. Minhyun got a good laugh out of his terrible dancing. Though they both had great singing voices, were musically talented, and had the looks, they couldn't become an idol because they weren't that good at dancing, but at least Minhyun had taken lessons so he was a bit better. Jaehwan at least found his dancing attractive, which was all that mattered to Minhyun.

Minhyun expressed that he was feeling tired but needed to go to the bathroom. Jaehwan piggy backed him all the way there, slowly cleaning with the slippers and exercising at the same time. Minhyun stayed there because it was comfortable and Jaehwan didn’t complain. They both enjoyed the excuse for intimate physical contact.

 

 

“Jaeni, come here. That's enough." Jaehwan stopped shuffling around the kitchen in the cleaning slippers, his face an adorable question with an explanation mark.

Jaehwan had never heard Minhyun say those words when it came to cleaning, sure with sex it had happened though as Minhyun got tired and bored fairly quick even with Jaehwan pulling out his best moves.

 "Neh? But I only wiped the kitchen down once. You like to do it at least twice and three times for good measure if your back isn't hurting. I have enough stamina and energy to do it. I'm getting in all the corners and lifted up everything to get under there too."

He pouted at not being able to impress his boyfriend the way he had been dreaming of. Usually he complained the whole time that Minhyun made him clean on Sunday, their designated cleaning day, and he would be lazy about it so Minhyun ended up sighing and grumbling as he recleaned after him. Jaehwan didn't want to make extra work for Minhyun today and he wanted to hear words of praise. He wondered if he had been doing things wrong and Minhyun was just fed-up with him so he didn't feel like even scolding or directing him the specifics about how to get the place spotless and smelling nice.

"You already did a great job. I feel like stopping here for today. I would rather spend the rest of this rainy evening with you. Maybe this downpour has got me feeling weird too. You should see the poem I wrote about you. It’s really cheesy, I have a mind to toss it…"

Minhyun removed his bandana and apron and went to sit on the window sill. Jaehwan gulped as he was drawn to Minhyun's side like the work of a siren, removing the cleaning outfit as well. Now that his slender body and his luscious silky long hair was revealed, Jaehwan was fully aware of how incredibly good-looking the man who was nicknamed after a regal emperor was and the effect on his body. He almost wanted to moan and hump his trousered leg that was hanging off the seat gracefully but Minhyun was disgusted by perverted actions.

When approaching Minhyun, Jaehwan had had to learn to he sensual, subtle, and romantic, appealing to the side that liked to be pampered and wooed, much like a prince in olden times would have been. He stood close next to Minhyun, putting a squeezing hand on his knee and the other brushing the short velvety hairs on the back of his head. Minhyun was brushing his hair straight over his pretty, fox-like eyes on to his sculpted straight nose, reading over the new poem he had written.

 It was about how pretty and edible he found Jaehwan's cheeks. Jaehwan returned with a poem about Minhyun's lips which he whispered into his ear.

Minhyun dropped the notebook, closing his eyes and tilting his head as he listened. Jaehwan pulled him up against his body and caressed his slender hot thighs. Minhyun ended up panting and tensed and shivering all over by the time he had finished his sultry, naughtier by the verse poem.

"Hmm, goodness, you are hot today, Jaeni. Seeing you work hard cleaning really got me going earlier and then that poem, ah..." He moaned.

Jaehwan stepped between his slender legs, leaning him gently up against the window pane, and kissed under his sharp, pale jawline, slowly unbottoning his white shirt and caressing his inner thigh near the juncture. Minhyun hissed and moaned, his hands gradually sinking into Jaehwan's neck and arm as he basked in the sensual, erotic intimacy.

 This was the sort of foreplay Minhyun preferred and that Jaehwan was excellent at, the sultry slow burn sort. This stemmed from Minhyun learning about sex from erotica instead of porn like most teenagers. Since Minhyun loved to read more than watch videos. Jaehwan had studied lots of erotica when he learned that so that he could follow step by step. Minhyun liked when he complimented him with sensual, sweet poetic words while slowly caressing and loving every inch of him with his hot, exploring, slightly rough mouth.

"You get turned on by me cleaning, serious? Hyung, you really have a weird personality. I've never heard of that fetish." Jaehwan chuckled before sucking and licking down Minhyun's neck and exposed collar.

Minhyun gasped and sighed with pleasure shivering violently at his touch, nonverbally begging for more. Jaehwan was easily able to pick up on that and all the more willing to give graciously, loving nothing more than bringing his lover to the breaking point with simple, sensual pleasure.

Minhyun was the most sensitive lover. Jaehwan glided his fingertips down his exposed chest, slipped the garment off his shoulders, explored there and rubbed down to his nipples. Minhyun cried out and jerked. This was an example, and this was just the lowest level.

"Jaeni, aw... your hands, the calluses, oh god...hmm, so glad I'm dating a singer..." He moaned, sounding a bit like a cat in heat which got Jaehwan turned in more because he found it cute.

Minhyun had said before that he loved the way the slight calluses on Jaehwan's hands felt against his extra sensitive skin, which is the reason he didn't try to soften or remove them. They were a natural occurrence from playing the guitar for ten years.

“Do you like that hyung? How much? Tell me in detail~” Jaehwan chuckled evilly as he worked his hands like a craftsman shaping a sensual statue.

“Don’t be mean, Jaeni. You know I cannot dirty talk…”

“You could try for once, hyung. I don't get any reward for trying to clean to your ridiculous OCD standards?” Jaehwan pouted.

Minhyun reached up to brush his cheek, then brought him in for a sweet kiss. “The mood isn’t right for that. It’s raining. We should just be quiet and soak it in with the sounds of our love making. Not make the moment cheap. Please…”

“Ah, I see. More romantic and hot that way. Okay, hyung, whatever you wish, my muse.”

“Thank you…”

They kissed and stroked each other all over. Minhyun removed Jaehwan’s shirt as they made out slow and sensual. Then they removed their pants and laid entangled naked on the window sill, embracing and kissing some more. Their sides were pressed to the cool, wet window, a contrast to their heated bodies.

“Beautiful…” Jaehwan murmured as he stopped kissing to look down at Minhyun and caress every inch of his pale, smooth skin like he was a blind man reading his favorite book in brail.

Minhyun had his eyes hooded, watching the raindrops racing across the even foggier, dewy window sill, his parted lips releasing pants, sighs, and gentle, super soft moans. His hand slapped on and streaked down the pane as Jaehwan slid into him easily and started their familiar dance, his lips cherishing Minhyun’s sweet neck and his arms cradling the other’s frail, slender body as if he were making love to a glass sculpture. Minhyun simply laid there, his arms wrapped loosely around his neck, his wet hands dripping cool water on the other, his legs tensing and toes curling into the cushion as he focused on the incredible feelings his lover gave him without exerting any energy on his own part. Jaehwan didn’t mind, as long as Minhyun expressed how he was feeling with his sounds.

“Ahn, hmm, Jaeni, ah~ more please…” he whispered and moaned near Jaehwan’s ear, lightly kissing the sweaty, chocolaty temple.

Jaehwan reached down to lift his hips and grip him for leverage, increasing the speed and intensity of his thrusts just slightly. Minhyun he figured didn’t want it too rough and fast. He always enjoyed the slow build. When the man’s breath was shaky and his moans were at an escalating pitch, Jaehwan knew he was close. He sucked at his collar while stroking his member and thrusting deep and hard.

“Ah, yes, ahn, hmm, oh Jaeni, so good~” he tossed his head, crying out breathily, his fingers digging into Jaehwan’s hair, his legs tensing with his toes pointed towards the ceiling.

Jaehwan gently bit his skin and then sucked harder, moving his hand and hips faster and more enthusiastically.

“Hmm, baby, come for me, I can't hold back much longer…”

“Okay, I will, hmm, keep moving just like that, hmm baby, oh yeah, ahn, coming soon, ah~ ah, ah~”

Minhyun hugged him tight and buried his face in Jaehwan’s neck as he moaned some more, sweet and melodious in the highest pitch of all, his body tensing up and then finally releasing. Jaehwan let himself go then, riding out his own pleasure inside his favorite, cozy, warm place as Minhyun flew over the edge into a land of pleasure.

“Hmm, I love you, hyung…” Jaehwan kissed every inch of hot, sweaty skin he could reach.

Minhyun huffed, his heart racing against the other’s chest, and brushed the back of Jaehwan’s hair with care. “I love you more, Jaeni.”

“Not possible…”

“Is so. Look at my poetry.”

“Look at all of my albums. Every song is about you. I think I win the here. I’m clearly crazier about you. You actually write about other things. The only thing that I write about has been and still is you.”

Jaehwan squeezed his lover tight, his hips finally ceasing from their gentle waves as his incredible pleasure came to an end. He nuzzled under Minhyun’s sculpted jaw, subtly sniffing him. Minhyun slightly squirmed, finding it ticklish.

“I wonder what all your female fans would think if they knew.”

“I think they would say, ‘ah, I knew it, Minhwan was real this whole time, told you so’ to all those non-believers. Especially the ones that ship me with Seongwoo and Daniel instead. I don’t need any ongnielhwan in my life. I only need Minhwan. I only need you. I don’t even need to eat or breathe. I will just drink in your kisses and breathe your love. That’s more than sufficient for me to live on blissfully.”

Minhyun laughed. Jaehwan found it to be the most beautiful, musical sound. He had tried to imitate it in his songs before but no instrument could quite compare to the majesty of it.

“Uh-oh, I sense another song coming on. Shall I leave you with your guitar?”

Jaehwan yawned and sleepily hummed, “Maybe in ten minutes. Let’s just stay here and cuddle.”

As Jaehwan laid even more on top of Minhyun and let his heavy eyes droop, Minhyun brushed his hair in the way that he knew his lover found the most comforting. “Hmm, that sounds nice. It feels good here. Let’s do it here on rainy days.”

“Good idea. Don’t know why we didn’t think of it before.”

“Doesn’t matter. Anyway, raincheck?”

“Hmm, it’s a raincheck, hyung.”

The two dark-haired, slender, pale men continued to lay entangled in their romantic aftermath and watch the rain streak down the foggy, gray pane , listening to the pattering sounds as if entranced by it. The sounds of the rain and the feel of their steady, gradually slowing heartbeats acted as a lullaby to lull them closer and closer to sleep. The scene was even more enchanting and peaceful because of their deep, sweet feelings that had only strengthened over the years they had spent together. The pain from one rainy day in their memories was replaced by the relaxed, comfortable bliss of yet another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Minhwan idea came really out of the blue. It was a rainy day while I was on the bus thinking of what I should write next. Then Sonagi came on my earrphones and I was listening to the sad lyrics. Then I thought about how Jaehwan recently said at a fansign that if he had a free day he wanted to stay home cleaning with Minhyun. Usually we often just stay in on a rainy day, right? I liked the idea that Jaehwan was sort of making an effort to do things that Minhyun liked or that he might be changing his habits. I also happen to adore their scene in Wanna One Go where they are cuddling on the couch and then when they are cleaning together. Thus, this chapter was born. I hope that you liked it. Comment juseyo~
> 
> Depending on how much time I have to write in the next two weeks, the next chapter will either be Ongniel in Hawaii battletrip style or fashionista models Onglin. Hope you stay tuned for those as well~ Even if you’re not a huge fan of these ships, I hope that you will like my writing enough to give them a chance. I think each one-shot I’ve made is pretty unique and charming in its own way and you might even end up shipping them a bit after you read.
> 
> Comments and kudos juseyong~
> 
> <3 Raina


	7. Things I Wanna Have(Real Life Ongniel)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel plans a surprise trip to Hawaii to make it up to Seongwoo for being absent around his birthday. They have a blast and find ways to be romantic and intimate even with the staff members and cameras following them about. This one-shot is full of fluff, comedy, and smut in a serious of random ongniel real life moments.

I want you, even your name, your eyes, even your smallest gestures.

I want to hold even your memories, your time, all of your moments.

At the end of each day,

I don’t want to say something unsatisfying.

But at the end of my season, I want to start a story with you.

I want to have your heart.

Wanna Have by Wanna One

 

 

Daniel kissed Seongwoo’s hand, telling him he needed to step out of the van for a moment. Seongwoo sleepily hummed and blinked like a cat saying goodbye to him. Daniel chuckled, watching him with affection. His boyfriend was adorable, especially in the mornings with his bare face and tussled hair. He shut the van door, hoping this would be a quick call but not expecting it to be, knowing their prissy, moody, high-strung leader.

“Hey, hyung. Good morning~” he said into the receiver in an extra bright tone, hoping to win Jisung over with sweetness.

“Don’t good morning me, pup. It’s 6am. I don’t have a schedule today. Why are you taking away my precious, hard-earned sleep?” Jisung snapped.

“I forgot to say goodbye because we were in a rush. Just want to say see you guys later. Me and Seongwoo will be gone for the weekend. Personal schedule.”

There was a pause on the other line, then Jisung’s sleepy, raspy voice turned screechy, causing Daniel to pull the receiver away from his ear a bit. There were shouts and complaints from his roommate as well, suggesting he had woken them up out of a decent sleep.

“Wait, what? You have a schedule and you didn’t even let the leader of our group know this? You freaking Kang Choding. I’m tossing all your jellies down the toilet while I’m gone!” Jisung spat over the phone.

Daniel was able to hear clearly. Jisung was pissed. “Ah, it was super last minute, hyung. If I told you it would make you jealous and you would have ruined the surprise.”

“Still you should tell me! It’s not like I’m some freaking stranger! I’m the leader of this group and the oldest and your best friend, before you met Ong Seongwoo I will have you remember, mister! I have a right to fucking know where you are going to be at and for how long!” Daniel pulled the phone away as Jisung shouted into it.

“Okay, okay, your going to blow your brains out at this rate, chill out. Remember how Seongwoo was super bummed that for his birthday this year I had schedules so I couldn’t hang out at all or go to the party or even sneak out to buy him a present?”

Jisung sighed and spoke with an exhausted, irritated tone. “Of course. He was sulking for a week and wouldn’t talk to you and you had to sleep in my bed which was awful because you’re so freaking huge and noisy. How could I forget the worst experience of my life?”

Daniel rolled his eyes and flicked the picture on his phone. “Oh, stop being dramatic, mom. Seongwoo had every right to do that. His first boyfriend and all, you know. Anyway, I promised that I would give him anything he wanted to make it up.”

“And so…? You chose to get him more work when he’s already so busy with mcing, variety shows, modeling, and acting for music videos that he’s losing a gram a day when he’s already a stick? We need to have a talk about what it means to be a good boyfriend here, Niel…” Jisung dragged on, clearly having narrowed his already squinty eyes into a thin line, judging Daniel hard core.

Daniel replied defensively, “He said that’s what he wanted! Don’t go all prissy diva on me. It’s not fair this time. He said he was jealous of 2park going on battle trip.”

“Hmm? We all were, obviously. But it’s unheard of for two groups to send more than two people there. How did you...?”

“I used my connections as center of course. All month, I have been contacting staff and personally requesting that I could go. When they agreed, I subtly suggested that I thought Ong would be great to appear on the show since these days he’s getting popular, especially with variety and that his humor would be really good for viewings. Since we are known as a fake couple already, people will want to watch us go on a romantic trip together. I will be able to make it up to him and buy him anything he wants.”

“That’s going to cost you a pretty penny. You know Seongwoo. If you give him an inch, he’s going to take a mile. I hope you don’t mind a hole in your wallet after you come back. I am pretty sure you’re the only thing he really wants and he’d be fine just spending time with you. You always go so over the top for him, it must be exhausting dating you. No wonder he’s getting thinner. Where are you going then anyway?”

“Hawaii!” Daniel exclaimed with an excited bark like the puppy he was said to resemble by fans and his members.

Jisung shrieked louder than ever, startling Daniel so he almost dropped his phone. “HAWAII?! UGH, I HATE YOU. GOODBYE JELLIES. SCREW ALL OF YOU. WHY DO YOU ONLY GET THE COOL SCHEDULES? AND WHY DOES ONLY YOUR BF NOT YOUR BFF GET TO GO ON FOR THE RIDE?”

“Wait, hyung! Don’t be jealous. Or at least don’t take it out on my innocent haribos! Hyung~”

“Goodbye, Niel. Have fun on your honeymoon being all lovey dovey with your soulmate. I’m not talking to you. I hope you get stranded there!”

“Hyung, come on—” Daniel pleaded, near the edge of having a break down from panic.

The line cut off as Jisung hung up the phone. Daniel chuckled as he slid into the van. Jisung’s reaction was amusing, as usual. He wished that he had told everyone all together to see their faces, but he was worried about spoiling the surprise and making them jealous. Seongwoo thought they were just going for a simple event in Japan. He was going to be super stoked when they got to the airport.

“You sleepy, Ong? We’re going to the airport now. I guess you can sleep for another hour. Rest on me, the window is hard and cold…” Daniel softly talked to himself as he slid next to the all-black clad handsome, tall, pale man, then brought his head off the window and onto his shoulder.

Seongwoo smacked his lips and hummed, then nuzzled into his side and tossed an arm and leg around him, looking very much like a baby koala.

“Aw, this cute ongcheongie…rest well, baby…” Daniel whispered, petting his silky chocolate hair that was cut stylishly short in the back, and then kissed the crown of his head which he often did whenever Seongwoo was sleeping secretly.

 

 

Daniel had his eyes closed for a nap, feeling relaxed and grateful. These days, as usual, their schedules were crazy to the point that he felt like he went to sleep and then woke up repeatedly in different places without recalling where he was or how he got there. It had been ages since he’d slept more than three hours straight. That’s why he wanted to go back on Dangerous Outside the Blankets since he was allowed to sleep and be lazy there as much as he wanted. Though it was a shame that Ong had never been able to be with him on there yet.

He felt a subtle shift next to him that was different from the slight shaking of the plane because of turbulence. Daniel had always been sensitive to Seongwoo moving or being disturbed when we slept together ever since the dorms in Produce 101. They had often fallen asleep together or shared the same bunk bed. Daniel was a heavy sleeper in other senses but somehow he was in tuned with Seongwoo’s moods and inner alarm system.

 If Seongwoo woke up, so did he. If Seongwoo had a hard time falling asleep, he often did as well unless he was exhausted to the point of near falling over if he stood idly for more than ten seconds. He figured it must have had something to do with liking him, but he had no idea when the exact point was that he fell for Seongwoo. It had just felt like it had always been that way somehow. He felt like they had been together a lot longer than was the reality, which was less than a year now officially.

“Hey, you okay?” Daniel hummed sleepily, squinting his eyes and reaching for Seongwoo’s arm he somehow sensed was on the airplane seat’s arm rest.

“Ah, did I wake you? Sorry…” Seongwoo blushed and bit his lip.

Daniel could tell from his posture and the way the veins in his arms were sticking out that he was feeling anxious, likely from the turbulence. He recalled that Seongwoo hadn’t been on planes very often before they debuted. He slid his hand down the allibaster, slender, cool arm and linked his fingers, smiling softly as he gazed at the world’s most beautiful hands. Seongwoo could be a hand model, they were so elegant and nicely shaped.

“There’s nothing to worry about, Ongie. It’s just turbulence. Mild stuff. We’re going to be fine. Just hold on to me when you feel scared and let’s talk about something else. Distractions work best.”

Seongwoo turned his head on the seat and smiled thankfully, squeezing his boyfriend’s hand back.

“Thanks. But you’re exhausted and need sleep.”

“So do you,” Daniel pointed out with a little chuckle, reaching out to playfully bop the other’s sculpted, naturally tall and flawless nose that was sometimes as cute as a button so he wanted to bite it.

“Not as much as you though. Your schedules are always way worse. Mr. Nation’s Center.”

Daniel tickled the tip of his nose and pressed it up like a pig’s snout. Seongwoo did his infamous cat blink, smiled wide which showed his charmingly crooked teeth, and a blush painted the ridges of his chiseled cheek bones which were much too sunken in these days for his boyfriend’s tastes.

“The only center I need to be is the center of Ong Seongwoo’s heart.”

“Ew, it’s too early for cheese Niel. I’m going to sleep,” Seongwoo retorted while scrunching up his face. Seongwoo turned away from him and closed his eyes, pretending to sleep.

“You won’t be able to so easily. Come here.” Daniel gently reached for the top of his head and attempted to pull him onto laying on his shoulder, but Seongwoo resisted.

“There’s cameras though…” he whispered, glancing at the staff that occasionally poked mini selfie stick cameras through the cracks between seats and the windows in case they got some images that would look good on the show, such as them sleeping.

“I’ve told the staff our situation. They will be editing out major couple looking moments to protect our privacy. It will just have to be cut a bit out of our payment.”

Daniel continued pulling on his head full of silky chestnut locks slightly styled in waves today for filming which made him look more angelic.

“Well, I do value security from antis and sasaengs and netizens more so than money, that’s true. Good idea…”

Seongwoo snuggled into his shoulder and wrapped his hands around Daniel’s arms, closing his eyes with a content, satisfied expression. Daniel subtly watched him as he pet the top of his head, knowing that it would calm the older man who seemed several years younger most of the time in these situations.

 

 

When they woke up a couple of hours later to eat food and write in their declaration card, Seongwoo realized that they weren’t going to Japan. He wasn’t upset though, because he liked Western countries even more.

He was ecstatic at Daniel’s elaborate surprise, just as Daniel had figured. Daniel explained that he felt bad for not being able to spend time with him around his birthday or even to buy a proper present. Seongwoo insisted he hadn’t been upset about it nor expecting anything, but everyone in the dorm back in Korea could testify that it was a big fat lie.

Daniel showed him the travel guides he had and discussed the plan he was thinking, which was open for changes to anywhere that Seongwoo wanted to go to. However, just like he’d expected, the person who knew Seongwoo best in the world was Daniel. Everything that Seongwoo would like to do and see was on his list already and Seongwoo looked like an ecstatic seal with a bucket of fresh fish in front of him seeing photos and hearing about everything.

“I will buy you anything you want. Just say the word, okay? I’m going all out for this trip to make it up to you.”

Seongwoo smirked, evil laughed, and rubbed his hands together. “Oh, really? He he he. Then, I think I should know what I want to buy. Hmm, first of all will be a mustang…Then, I should buy a jacuzzi and a swimming pool. Oh, yeah, I should buy lots of luxury fashion items…”

As Seongwoo went through the list of things that he could buy, dollar signs started flying through Daniel’s head, making him suddenly nervous. “Well, come on now, there should be a reasonable limit. The show has a budget we can only bend just a bit. We should be able to at least carry it on the plane back…” he suggested softly.

“Eh~ You said anything I wanted, Niel. You didn’t say it needed to be able to fit in a suitcase. Now you’re going back on your words.” Seongwoo pulled the world’s most adorable hing face that made Daniel strongly attempted to kiss right off but that was too much temptation for the staff who might spread rumors if there was such a blatant display of their relationship.

“I’m not, really. You’re just not being realistic.”

“I’m just teasing you for all the wrongs you made to me.”

“What wrongs? I’m nothing but nice to you, hyung~” Daniel reached over and shook his leg, pouting and putting aegyo into his voice which he hardly ever did.

Seongwoo shook his head, laughed, and wagged his finger. “Oh, so now you call me with respect. When your precious wallet is on the line.”

“Eh, hyung~ That’s not it. What did I do wrong? I’ll do my best to fix it, without extra cost~” Daniel insisted, rubbing his knee.

Seongwoo shivered and blushed, glaring at his hand. Daniel realized that he was making Seongwoo uncomfortable because even that subtle intimate rub could turn him on. Daniel winked at him, promising that there would be much more of that when they got to their hotel room, where the staff wouldn’t be joining them except in the early morning.

“Let’s see. You tease me for not being graceful. You say I suck at aegyo. You called me no jaem several times. You’re always calling me old man and making cracks at my stamina. You said that you won’t play games with me because I’m totally helpless at them…shall I go on?”

“No, no, stop there, hyung. I’m sorry!” Daniel laughed, shaking his hands violently and then rubbing his arm. He pulled Seongwoo, who was laughing now instead of pretending to be upset, into a warm embrace.

“I’ll be a better boyfriend from today on. Promise~ You know I just like teasing you because your reactions are cute and funny though,” he whispered in Seongwoo’s ear.

Seongwoo subtle pressed his lower face into the crook of Daniel’s neck. “I know. I’m just making the broadcast interesting…”

“Aigoo, stop putting your mind always on work, Ong. I got us this gig because I want you to be yourself and just have fun. You know how we always have to think of our image? Well, these next couple days I just want you to be the real Ong Seongwoo. Anything you want to have, it’s yours. Including me, but that’s free anytime you want.”

“You don’t have to buy me anything. I just need you. Because that’s the best present there is…” Seongwoo shyly murmured, turning Daniel’s heart into a marshmallow.

“We can’t hear anything you guys are saying? Are the mics broken? Can you try not to mumble so much?” One of the staff filming them in front asked.

The two broke apart, bowed, and apologized with comically loud voices. The staff chuckled in amusement at the two singers’ brightness, enthusiasm, and sense.

 

 

The two singers were exhausted from the grueling six-hour flight and several hours in the airport, but it was still afternoon in Hawaii time so they were excited to get out and see the shops, beaches, and try some real American style hamburgers. The staff were in their own hotel rooms to unpack and rest. The boys had told them that they would message them twenty minutes before they wanted to go out so that they’d have the proper time to get ready, but they decided they didn’t want to push the staff too hard. They would give them at least an hour to unpack and take a nap.

They helped each other unpack their suitcases. Usually Daniel’s style was to toss all the stuff he needed on the bathroom counter and leave his clothes folded inside the suitcase. However, Seongwoo preferred a neater, more logical approach and Daniel followed the way Seongwoo did things if they were rooming together to cause less stress and potential for nagging. Not that Seongwoo was the nagging type because he wasn’t so much but he did grumble to himself in exasperation about how Daniel could be such a messy child sometimes.

Daniel didn’t mind seeming like a child to others in the group or the fans. To his boyfriend, though, he tried to avoid it. He liked to seem manly and reliable, which is why he worked hard to protect Seongwoo from harm, especially when they were out in public and surrounded by fans and paparazzi which Seongwoo often got overwhelmed and confused by.

Without Daniel helping him, Seongwoo had a tendency to get lost and panicked. Hence the reason Daniel grew anxious and bit his nails near clean off when they had separate schedules, and especially when he went to the jungle. It would be okay if there was someone else to care for Seongwoo in his place but the other members were either unaware he needed help until it was too late or had another member they were busy taking care of.

Seongwoo’s style of unpacking was to re-fold everything, put it neatly in the closets, and organize their things by type, color, and size so it was easy to find and looked appealing.

After they were done, Daniel jumped around on the fluffy, queen sized hotel bed and then plopped pack on the mountains of marshmallowy pillows and thick flowery comforter.

“Ah, this is the life. Why don’t we just stay here and be lazy the rest of the day? It’s so rare that I could just be allowed to sleep and do nothing all I want without any consequences or cameras, you know…”

Seongwoo laid down next to him, using Daniel’s arm as a pillow, his hands on his stomach in a pose of propriety. Daniel looked over at him and smiled sweetly. Seongwoo was gazing out the curtained windows where they had a clear view of the ocean, which was a shimmering pale green blue. The weather currently was absolutely fantastic and sweltering with just a hint of a breeze.

“That wouldn’t be something I hate actually. But what a waste of a great day. You know, I heard since it’s an island country the weather is extremely temperamental. It could be pouring rain or in the middle of a typhoon tomorrow, which then we’d have no choice but to stay inside. I think we should probably go out after a little nap…”

“Hmm, okay, hyung. Whatever you say goes. It’s your birthday present after all. You call the shots. If you want us to go out and party until the break of dawn even, we will do that.”

“Stop with the hyung. At first it was nice. Now it’s freaking me out…” Seongwoo chuckled and pinched his miniscule amount of side fat.

“You just want me to stop because it’s your kink and it’s making you want to take me right now. I know your signs, hyung~”

(Rated M from here)

Seongwoo grabbed hold of Daniel’s hand which was playing with his hardened nipple, driving him wild slowly but surely as they’d been chatting about mundane things. Daniel ticked him off now that he thought about it. He recalled that Daniel had been subtly teasing him the entire plane and bus ride since they wouldn’t be able to do anything about it and he knew that Seongwoo felt horrified being turned on during any kind of broadcast. Daniel was as usual messing with him for his own sick amusement. Seongwoo was going to get payback. He flipped over, rolling on Daniel’s body, pinning his hands above his head with one hand, and nestled his legs between Daniel’s thick thighs.

“Hmm, I like this…” Daniel hummed, shifting his legs over Seongwoo’s in an intimate embrace, rocking his hips up to brush their hardened members together.

They both wanted each other fiercely. Seongwoo bit his lip and groaned as he grinded back, his body incredibly sensitive since this was the longest time he’d ever had to go with Daniel being close to him but not being allowed to satisfy his desire at all. He had been gone in the jungle last week as well, making it far too long since they had intimacy. His hand gripped Daniel’s wrists tighter, pressing them into the fluffy, cotton sheeted pillow.

“Ah, hyung~ Touch me…you’re so gorgeous right now. I’m going crazy…”

“Geez, you’re burning up, Niel…you want it just as terrible as I do, huh…” Seongwoo smirked as his hand caressed Daniel’s temple, neck, and into his shirt, riding up the fabric so he could uncover the delicious six pack he adored to fondle. “My sexy perv…”

Daniel hitched his breath and released a moan, his body tensing and shivering, his pretty, dark chocolate puppy eyes drifting closed.

“Oh…yes…”

“You like that baby? How about I do it some more?” Seongwoo asked as he stared at the sensual scene before him.

It had been awhile since Seongwoo had topped. It was a rare delicacy the indulged in, like extra fatty tuna. When they did it, they both loved it, but it was something they saved for special occasions. Mostly because Seongwoo was clumsy and lazy compared to Daniel. He didn’t have as great of physical stamina to make it through to the end and he had a tendency to get cramps at the best part.

“So much hyung… more please…Ah, yes, there….” Daniel huskily cried out as Seongwoo raked his fingernails around his abs and sternum then went to twisting and pinching his pert, brown nipples.

Seongwoo throatily hummed with appreciation as he worked Daniel into a feverish, moaning, pleading mess, grinding their hips together expertly until they were hard as wood and nearly on the edge of orgasm from the sensitivity and how long they had been waiting for release.

“Ah, hyung…fuck…I’m close…we should wait…”

“We have all night, Niel. Let me just get us off a tiny bit like this so we can focus on having fun instead of being distracted by how insanely horny we are for each other.”

“But hyung, hmm…fuck that’s no fair, ah…”

Daniel threw back has head as Seongwoo bit his neck and jerked his hips quick and hard against his lover’s trainers. Seongwoo focused on building his own orgasm and following his instincts, sucking and biting harshly on Daniel’s sweat salted, deliciously smelling perfumed neck. The room was silent except for the sounds of Daniel’s huffing, moaning, whining and the shuffling of their legs.

“Ah, it’s here hyung, ah, hmm…so freaking food…damn do I love you…”

Seongwoo moaned the words back into his chest as he rode out his own sticky, messy, wet orgasm, their hips slowly gyrating, rubbing back and forth in circles over each other. Daniel broke Seongwoo’s hold on his wrists which he had only just been obliging the other for him to have more fun playing the dominant one.

Things ended the way they normally did after that—Daniel holding Seongwoo with incredible tenderness, rubbing his hair and back, Daniel kissing his sweaty temple sweetly. Seongwoo snuggled and curled up into the physically bigger, warmer man, allowing himself to be spooned and babied which he actually loved despite feeling the exact opposite of masculine. He would only embrace that side of himself with Daniel though.

“We should really go out, Ong… It is a nice day. Don’t sleep on me…” Daniel murmured several minutes later, patting the cute man’s back.

“Hmm…ten more minutes…” Seongwoo murmured sleepily into his chest, squeezing him tighter and burrowing further into his bundled t-shirt, seeming just like a squirrel hibernating.

“Such a funny guy you are. Even when you’re not trying. So lovable, ah…how did I get so lucky to meet you all those months ago…You’re seriously all I ever wanted in a boyfriend…”

Seongwoo hummed something back but it was completely muffled. Daniel chuckled and kissed the top of his forehead, going back to petting down his elongated, beautifully dipped spine.

 

 

The first destination they headed to was the nearest beach, which was called Waikiki. They were in shorts, t-shirts, caps, sunglasses and sandals. The staff gave them sunscreen while they were walking on the boardwalk because they had stupidly forgot. Daniel put it on Seongwoo for him, making Seongwoo flush and complain while the girls in the staff giggled and commented about how Daniel was like a perfect boyfriend.

Seongwoo whined about how Daniel was doing it to make him seem less masculine. Daniel teased him about how harry his legs were, making Seongwoo upset that he was going to go back to the hotel. Daniel ran after him and then jumped on his back, latching onto him with all fours like a koala.

They wondered around the boardwalk, subtly touching each other on their arms, backs, or shoulders in excitement. There were lots of people lounging on towels or chairs under large umbrellas and then some in the ocean, swimming, surfing, or wind surfing.

“What do you wanna do?”

“I wanna…one?” Seongwoo looked over at him and smirked.

Daniel mirrored his smirk. “All I wanna do?”

“All I wanna do~ Hello, we’re Wanna One!” The two boys said their slogan phrase together while pounding their chest and moving their pointer finger.

“Stop joking.”

 Seongwoo playfully smacked Daniel once he had gotten over his fit of laughing. Daniel laughed harder and squeezed his hand.

“You started it, hyung!”

“Ah, did I?” Seongwoo laughed breathily and cocked his head.

“Yeah…”

“Sorry that was a no jaem moment.” Seongwoo sheepishly scratched his head.

“You’re always jaem to me. Yoo jaem.” Daniel reached over and ruffled his hair, pulling Seongwoo off the boardwalk into the sand.

Seongwoo kicked off his sandals as he fixed his hair back to its perfect wave to the side of his forehead. He wagged a finger and playfully glared at Daniel as if he were a puppy that had just been caught chewing on his shoes again.

“Hey, you said that was awful before!”

“No, I thought it was freaking hilarious. It was Daehwi’s idea to tell the fans not to react. We were just messing with you.”

“Ugh. I want to disown you. Mean, stupid, ungrateful, unprotective puppy. If only my company was offering me anything else…”

Seongwoo’s expression darkened a moment. Daniel kicked him with sand, knowing exactly what direction his negative thoughts were turned and what had caused it. Fantagio was still struggling with various issues, leaving Seongwoo who was contracted with them but yet to debut with a very uncertain future.

“Hey, things are going to be okay. If things go south with our companies, we’ll just go elsewhere. Together. I’ll make sure of it. Sad faces don’t suit you.”

“What sort of faces suit me? I had two mvs where I was supposed to be sad and lots of fans were raving about it, you know?” Seongwoo shot back a splash of sand with his foot.

That started a sand kicking war from then on. The staff followed them as they ran towards the beach, avoiding the sun tanners, all the way to the ocean. Luckily, Daniel was able to cheer him right up and get him to smile and laugh.

He didn’t need to say it out loud just then. If he did, it would come out as something extremely cheesy he was worried that the staff might actually put in. His cheese was saved for Seongwoo in private when Seongwoo would act like he hated it but turn red as a tomato and get so shy he couldn’t even look at him. It was the most adorable thing and he didn’t really want to share that with even their fans, at least not today. Some things about his perfect boyfriend he wanted to keep to himself, he couldn’t help being a bit possessive and selfish.

“Ah, it’s cold!”

“Come on, you big baby~ It’s warm, what are you saying?!” Daniel teased, grabbing hold of the fleeing brunette’s hand and tugging him into the flowing green blue water.

Seongwoo made a funny face and whined, his body freezing up and moving strangely like a malfunctioning robot.

“Hey don’t~” Seongwoo whined as Daniel tugged him further inch by inch and then started laughing manically as he splashed water from the incoming waves at him.

Seongwoo had his arms around his chest, rubbing the bare part with the hands. He glared at Daniel and pouted, his face dripping. Daniel simply giggled like crazy as he saw the older man. He looked illegal levels of dangerously gorgeous when he was wet and glistening, though this time it wasn’t from the usual practice or intimacy related sweat or showers they occasionally took together when the others were still asleep.

“You’ll warm up soon. Come play with me, hyung!” Daniel insisted and kept splashing him.

“Yah, Kang choding! Hajima. I’m warning you. If you do that one more time, you’re going to seriously regret it,” he threatened seriously, glaring harder.

Daniel couldn’t take Seongwoo seriously though. He was just one of those guys who was so hilarious even when he was honestly a bit ticked like now. Seongwoo was weak to cold things, especially to water, since his body temperature was naturally low. Usually Daniel was similar, but this honestly was lukewarm water and Seongwoo was being a precious baby. My precious baby needs to have fun and stop being so adorable or I will be jealous when this airs on TV, Daniel thought with pride.

Daniel stuck his hands into the water up to his elbows and smirked. Seongwoo’s eyes widened and then he covered his face with his lovely, slender, pale hands at the last minute. The glistening turquoise water flew through the air and soaked Seongwoo from head to toe. Daniel laughed harder as Seongwoo stared down in horror, covering his nipple areas which were now visible through the white T-shirt that was now see through and clinging to his skin.

“You asked for it Kang Daniel! Yah! I was dead serious!”

“Oh, sh--!” Daniel turned and tried to run into the ocean but he was too late.

An incredibly ticked Seongwoo with an evil glint in his soulful, pretty eyes jumped on him, tackling him with his entire might. They both went crashing into the water, swallowing the salty liquid. They came up sputtering, wiping their faces and squinting, grabbing for their sunglasses and caps that had gotten caught by the wave and were going towards the muddy shore.

“Hey, you could have gotten hurt there, Ong. What if there was coral or jellyfish?” Daniel scolded, angrier more at the fact that Seongwoo had thoughtlessly put himself in danger for the umpteenth time.

Seongwoo was still angry though. As soon as he stood up and put his glasses on, he started windmilling his arms. Daniel laughed as he turned away and covered his head, a rather chilly waterfall being dumped against his back.  

“That’s overkill, Ong Seongwoo, come on~ Calm down!” he shouted between moments and laughing and sputtering the globs of salt water being endlessly flung his way.

“I think this amount is justified. I told you not to, Kang Daniel! You’re going to pay!” Seongwoo called while smirking and laughing evilly, his arms flying about in a silvery, peachy blur from Daniel’s perspective on the other side of a wall of water.

Since the two were soaked, they took a nap on a beach towel until their clothes dried. The staff at that time had nothing to film, so they took a rest or got something to eat or went into the ocean themselves. They woke up because they were both thirsty and their stomachs growling, though sunbathing was extremely comfortable and relaxing that they probably otherwise could have done it for several hours  straight.

Daniel told Seongwoo that the boardwalk was full of pop-up stores and food stalls all along it so they could get anything that he thought was interesting. Seongwoo tried to insist that Daniel didn’t really have to pay for his food, that he had his credit card with him. Daniel took out his wallet and flashed his wad of American dollar bills, lying to Seongwoo that Hawaii was one of those special places off the mainland that didn’t usually take credit cards. Seognwoo pouted and told him that he had no choice but he’d still be paying back eventually. Aw, my baby is so gullible, I love it, he’s too trusting, Daniel thought.

“Oh, this looks good…” Seongwoo said at the first stop.

It was a ball of shaved ice colored like a rainbow with sugary syrup. Daniel had to laugh for a moment. Seongwoo and his sweet tooth.

“If you want it, then get it. Anything you want goes, like I said. I’m your sugar daddy today. You should practice your English though. I can’t be the one doing it all the time. I’m tired from using it to get to the hotel. Your turn, bud.”

Seongwoo cat blinked at him with a silent, scared plea to not force him to deal with the natives. Speaking English terrified Seongwoo. Any other language really. He knew words but he couldn’t put them together in a sentence well. Not because he was unintelligent but because lack of practice and teachers that pressured perfectionism gave him trauma. Daniel had told him on the plane that one of the reasons he’d thought to take him here was so that he could get over the trauma. Since, after all, they were an international group now and they would be going oversees often for their tour.

“Um…this…two this…. (Niel, what is mujigae? You won’t tell me? You’re so cheap) um, mujigae…ice thing…please.”

Seognwoo looked over at Daniel with concern as if confirming if he made any sense at all. Daniel chuckled and nodded, being as encouraging as possible. Seongwoo repeated the phrase. “Two this mujigae ice please, thank you.”

Daniel stifled a laugh behind his hand, turning it into a cough as Seongwoo glared at him. The worker put the rainbow colored shaved ice cups out on the shelf outside the truck and said it was four dollars. Seongwoo held his hand out for the money in Daniel’s wallet. Daniel smirked and cocked his head like he didn’t understand the gesture.

“Hello? Earth to Dan?” Seongwoo said with a diva-like sarcastic edge to his musical, airy voice, shaking his open hand up and down.

Daniel cocked his head to the other side and then put his hand in Seongwoo’s and shook it. “Ah...”

“Really?” Seongwoo snorted and rolled his eyes. “Give me money. You said you’d pay for whatever I want. Your limit is three dollars? That’s quite the impossible budget there, Scrooge Daddy.”

“I will give it to you. There’s a condition. Do aegyo.”

“Ugh. Why?” Seongwoo immediately whined and bounced up and down, his whole body rejecting the idea. “You know I don’t have any idea.”

“Says you in an incredibly aegyo like display,” Daniel mimicked his earlier snort and eye roll. “Just do it. Extra cringe worthy.”

“….do I have to?” Seongwoo asked hesitantly.

“You don’t have to. But then I will pay for this and then eat most of yours.”

“Ugh, you would too, you evil pig. Fine…” he sighed, looking positively miserable.

“Ddongwu wants to eat that, Niellie. Can’t ddongwu have it? Ddongwu’s been really good,” Seongwoo suddenly spat in a baby face with a huge pout and blinky eyes as he pointed to the treat.

“Juseyo~ Juseyong~ Juseyooong~” he then said in rising aegyo pitch, stretching his arms out and opening and closing his hands like he was trying to grab at something out of his reach, stamping his feet and squinting his face up like he was having a fit.

Daniel nearly died he was laughing so hard and had to lean against the truck less he fell over on the sandy wooden road. “Priceless…too cute but so funny…pfft…you actually did it...pfft. You’re so gullible, what to do with this hopeless hyung…pfft.”

“Ugh, give it to me already, you stupid puppy. Stop laughing! I’m miserable and you’re ecstatic. The things I have to put up with since I met you. Ugh, it’s unbelievable. The pain I’ve suffered these fans hardly know…They think you’re so nice…More like a heart of cold than gold…” Seongwoo grumbled, stealing the wallet right out of Daniel’s pocket, not caring that he had to touch his butt on camera to do that.

Daniel appreciated the subtle squeeze he gave for a millisecond that the staff would never be able to catch. It showed that Seongwoo wasn’t really that angry at him or thought of him as cold-hearted. He was just hamming it up for entertainment purposes, reaching deep into his bag of acting trips he had learned from his theater days in college.

Seongwoo bought the treat and they gobbled up the cool, sugary, crunchy ice as they wondered down the boardwalk. They saw several shops selling cheap jewelry, touristy items like shirts and surfboard keychains, freshly cut leis, and hand drawn caricatures. Daniel wanted to get it one of them done and then frame it up in their room as a way to remember their first holiday together, but Seongwoo insisted he looked awful that day.

Daniel told him that he never looked awful in his life, he looked handsome when he first woke up from sleeping ten hours on their day off and even when he got sick and had thrown up half the night. This made Seongwoo blush and the staff giggle as if they were fans of the ‘ongniel’ ship witnessing real life ongniel moments they were going to fangirl over together when they went back to their private rooms. Daniel didn’t mind that, the more people that supported them in the world the better. Someday he hoped that they could come out and be the first gay idol couple and they would be quickly accepted and pave the way for other couples to come out in the future. Ongniel, making progress in revolutionizing modern Korean society.

On the boardwalk they discovered a lot of interesting things. Seongwoo also had a bottomless stomach, so they focused mainly on eating anything that looked interesting or that they found expensive or rare in Korea. Daniel made him do aegyo for each time, cracking up and loving it like it was totally knew. Seongwoo slightly changed up his gestures and phrase in order to make the broadcast entertaining because he was just a skilled comedy ninja like that. The tried watermelon, loko moko, mangoes, a steamed bun with meat inside of it called manapua, spam musubi which was basically spam sushi, and pineapple flavored beer.

 

 

When they had gone down the boardwalk to the very end and were almost full from all the snacks they tried, Daniel led Seongwoo to the famous Waikiki aquarium that was right next to the sea. They were bored waiting in line so they played a game where they had to flick each other on the forehead. As usual, Seongwoo proved is title as the King of Misfortune or Ong Failure. He lost ninety percent of the time.

 The staff giggled and teased Daniel for hardly putting any force behind his finger after he was making Seongwoo freak out be acting like he was going to put full force or practically sucker punch him. Daniel couldn’t ever hurt his soft, squishy, weakling of a lover though. Seongwoo was only good at handling one sort of pain and it was in an area much, much lower than his forehead. If the cameras weren’t there, he would have kissed Seongwoo on the forehead instead.

He settled for subtle flirting that wouldn’t need to have much edited out because he was sort of feeling bad for the staff who would have to edit already after he got rather careless flirting with Seongwoo on the boardwalk and even holding his hand and wrapping his arm around his waist and nuzzling his cheek when he leaned close to hear what Daniel was saying better. Some things just ended up being nasty habits when they were alone and with the staff following them at a distance and looking like regular tourists, it slipped his mind here and there that he needed to behave somewhat.

When they got into the aquarium, the both of them forgot about the staff completely and reverted to ten-year-old boys. They excitedly ran to all the exhibits together, pressing their faces right up against the glass panes to see the sea animals better and really feel like they were in the depths of the ocean, pointing left and right, going ‘look there’, ‘cool, look at that one’, ‘oh, that one is funny looking’. They hadn’t realized how hard of a time the staff had had until thirty minutes later when they had excitedly sped through all the exhibits they could find and ended up at the gift shop. The staff members were frazzled, out of breath, red in the face and some of them limping as if they had hurt themselves. The two both apologized and Daniel bought them souvenirs as a present.

“Anything you want?” he asked Seongwoo, who was tapping his bottom lip with his pointer finger, his brow furrowed as his pretty eyes roved over the stuffed animal display.

“Hmm? No, I just thought they looked cute…” Seongwoo turned to him with a cutely dazed look, his head sticking forward and his big eyes slowly blinking in that adorable feline way he had about him.

“Ah, I know just what you’d like…”

Seongwoo blushed and failed to hide a satisfied, touched smile as Daniel took a white seal doll and put it right in his hands. It didn’t have the signature moles like the doll that the fans gave him that he had been collecting, but it was cuter and larger so it would be a good doll to snuggle with or use as a pillow when Daniel was gone.

Seongwoo liked to lay his head on something fluffy or squeeze it to death by wrapping his arms and legs around it. The mini seal dolls the fans gave just weren’t big enough so Daniel had been the sacrifice since they started sharing a room without Jisung. However, there were times that Daniel had to be away through the night for individual schedules and sometimes he worried that Seongwoo was feeling anxious or uncomfortable without that support system.

Seongwoo immediately hugged it, his handsome face half buried, looking happier than could be. Daniel pat the top of his head and laughed. Can he be any cuter, he wondered.

“Use it wisely when I’m gone,” he whispered, covering his mouth on the side of the camera and the mic on his shirt with his other hand so the staff didn’t know what he was saying.

Seongwoo merely giggled, stuffing his flaming face further into the plushie’s neck.

When they got out of the aquarium it was just in time for the sun to be setting. They walked along the beach just putting their feet in the water and chatting about nonsense things as the sun went down. Together they went out with the whole staff for a meal which was the show’s special treat. They got to experience what a traditional luau was like, amazed by hula dancing, sword swallowing, fire throwing, and all sorts of other special performances they couldn’t see in their own country. That was nothing compared to the savory barbeque course, wine, and pineapple desserts they were served. Since it was free, they ate enough for two or three people until they were so incredibly stuffed they had difficulty walking back to their hotel.

 

 

After showering, getting into pajamas, brushing their teeth, blow drying their hair, and doing their skin care routines, the exhausted boys made it into the bed. They were laying side by side on their backs, only their arms and legs loosely connected.

“Ong…” Daniel called soft and hesitant, rubbing his thumb along the silky inside of the other’s wrist.

“Hmm?” Seongwoo murmured sleepily.

“Did you have a good day? Are you enjoying yourself here? Or did you wish that we had gone somewhere else? Or that I gave you a different sort of present? Was there something else you wanted?”

Seongwoo rolled over, wrapping his arm around Daniel’s waist and twining their legs together in a snugger fit. Daniel moved the chocolaty hair out of his eyes so that he could see his boyfriend’s beautiful face better. He opened his eyes just a smidge, clearly fighting back sleep with all his might just to do so. Daniel chuckled as he affectionately stroked a finger down his straight nose, grazed his thin, curved at the corners kitten lips, and poked at the cleft in his pointy chin. Seongwoo scrunched up his nose and squinted at him in mock annoyance but didn’t bite at his fingers like he usually would. That’s how Daniel really knew that Seongwoo was wiped.

“I had a great time. I hope tomorrow is just as…g…goo…” He had a hard time getting the word out with his yawn. “Thanks. It’s the best present ever…” he murmured into Daniel’s chest as the blonde pulled the brunette closer because he was much too adorable to keep even a finger’s distance away. When they were alone, there was certainly no thing as the ‘no homo’ gap in his mind.

“Great to hear. Tomorrow will be even better. Two more days left. Enjoy your heart out. As long as you save some space in there for me. And tomorrow let’s not get so tired out that we can’t do any sort of private parties, hmm?”

Seongwoo chuckled and squeezed him like a koala would its favorite eucalyptus tree. Daniel’s heart soared and butterflies flitted about in his stomach. He couldn’t help but fall in love with Seongwoo, his best friend and group member, every day after he lived with him closely and discovered how incredibly cute he was. He was falling in love anew every day they got to spend together, even if it was a schedule packed day and they kept their distance from each other for the sake of privacy.

“Sorry…”

“Don’t be sorry, babe. I’m too beat to even do the work for us tonight even. There’s always tomorrow. Let’s just try to keep our squees down and not run as much then.”

Daniel remembered only after his lovely boyfriend was asleep, lightly snoring against his pajamas, that they had beach activities and hiking planned tomorrow. Maybe they would have to skip the next night as well, darn.

 

 

“Ah…I’m gonna die…I can’t go on anymore, Niel…just send photos…really, I gotta quit, I can’t make it…”

Seongwoo collapsed on a rock wall which was slanted as the trail they were following was constantly going uphill. He was a huffing, sweaty, red faced mess. This time they didn’t have any staff with them because it was deemed dangerous and risky to their equipment for them to hike the narrow trails that were crowded and on a mountain with steep cliffs.

Daniel leaned back against the railing across from him after passing him the last of their water. Knowing that Seongwoo wasn’t as physically fit and lacked stamina to even go through half a concert, Daniel had tried to lessen his burden while they hiked up the number one tourist spot in the area, the panoramic view at Diamond Head Peak. He carried the bag and he brought a ton of water and sugary foods.

It was a long ago exploded volcano which had the highest point on the island with which you could see the city and the ocean with the most spectacular view. Seongwoo had practically had a heart attack when he saw the photos and agreed to go despite he hated the idea of hiking uphill and climbing hundreds of stairs.

“You said you were going to drink in the clean air and be inspired by the beauty of breathtaking nature to write poetry. Hyung, come on~ It’s just a couple hundred meters.”

“A..couple…hundred?! Maybe if you said…twenty…but hundred…no fucking way…” Seongwoo huffed after downing the last of the water.

Daniel took the empty bottle and put it in his bag, not wanting to be one of those typical Korean tourists who littered everywhere.

“It’s really not that much. You’ll be done in no time.”

“No…nope…no fucking way…” Seongwoo shook his head furiously, wiped his sweat and fanned himself.

Daniel chuckled and moved over to sit next to him. He turned the selfie camera so that they could see both. Daniel just talked on and on about where they were, how far they’d made progress, and teasing Seongwoo about his ‘grandpa’ like condition and terrible stamina despite being just in his mid-twenties and having danced for years just like himself had. Seongwoo ignored the camera, but Daniel could see through the lens that he was looking sulky and occasionally peeking over.

“Ah…how much I wanted to see the top with my best friend and split the beer I brought…” Daniel sighed and complained when his teasing didn’t get Seongwoo moving.

Seongwoo, to his surprise, sat there stubbornly for ten more minutes before he huffed, “Fine. Will you just shut up already, stupid puppy Kang Daniel, ugh…”

Daniel stood behind Seongwoo who wasn’t carrying anything and pushed his back. Seongwoo complained about how he didn’t need any help and to stop trying to force him to speed up or he was just going to quit again. Daniel merely chuckled and encouraged him, keeping the camera trained on them with an outstretched arm, his cheeks hurting from the grin splitting them. Even if Seongwoo was complaining and being a gloomy brat, he was having the time of his life.

“You did it, Ong. No more Ong Failure. You’re an Ong success. So proud of you, my pretty baby~”

Seongwoo gasped when Daniel hugged and kissed him hard, causing some people to stare. “Be careful…” he warned.

Daniel laughed as he squeezed his butt, making Seongwoo jump, scream, and glare at him. “Relax. I’ll make sure any incriminating evidence gets deleted baby.”

“Daniel…” Seongwoo gave him a warning tone and put his hands on his hips.

“Aw, just one more. I’m just so proud of you I can’t contain my Seongwoo feels.”

Seongwoo acted shy and hesitant, but in the end, he allowed Daniel to kiss him once despite the odd stares from the tourists there, a bit longer and sweeter this time.

They took photos and then they sat down on a bench, sharing a beer as they gazed in wonder at the aquamarine water, green hillside, and the tall, white buildings of the city.

“This is… breathtakingly beautiful,” Seongwoo murmured, opening and closing his mouth like a fish, going ‘wow’ for several minutes.

Daniel wrapped his arm around Seongwoo’s shoulders and squeezed him close. “That’s what I’ve thought every day that we met.”

Seongwoo made a disgusted face and cringed his hand. Then he giggled, showed a shy smile, and turned slightly pink at the tips of his ears.

“Hate it when you’re cheesy…” he whined.  
“No, you don’t, I smell a liar liar, pants on fire…” Daniel teased, pinching his slender shoulder.

“Okay, I admit I really don’t…”

They shared a laugh and leaned in closer as if they didn’t want even an inch of their bodies to be apart at the moment. The scenery affected them—it was incredibly romantic and for the moment they were actually alone and allowed to be themselves and act on their love. No one here seemed to have a clue who they were and they were free of the staff.

“Niel, can we…?” Seongwoo asked softly and stopped with a hesitant look, his fingers playing along some prominent veins in his arm.

Daniel had already read his mind and predicted this. He switched the beer to his other hand and opened up his palm. “I shut off the camera for now.”

Seongwoo grinned wide, the most glorious scenery in Daniel’s eyes even compared with the natural beauty in front of him that got all these raving reviews. These tourists didn’t know true beauty like he did. Seongwoo slid his fingers in a curious wavy pattern down his arm until he reached his wrist, subtly teasing and making Daniel pout for a moment. Then he laid his own hand flat in Daniel’s welcoming one. Just like the dances they had memorized, their bodies instinctively adjusted to fit to each other as their fingers slid and hooked around each other.

“I love you…” Daniel’s whisper was carried away with the wind but luckily not before Seongwoo heard it.

“Love you too…” Seongwoo hummed as he leaned his head on Daniel’s shoulder, snuggling closer to his warmth since the wind at the top of the mountain was rather chilly.

 

 

After their ‘near-death’ hiking experience according to Seongwoo, they went to the famous Hanaoma Bay by the mountain. It was the best place to snorkel among all the islands. Seongwoo was again complaining about the water being cold and dirty and he was worried about various impossible things that amused Daniel—the water could go in through the nosel and I could drown, fish could bite me, what if I get cut be coral on my foot and then a shark follows the trail ands snaps off my leg were just the start of the list.

Daniel did his best as he usually did to care for his hyung who was surprisingly childlike and accident prone. He made sure to point out where the coral were for Seongwoo to avoid stepping on, he helped him stay afloat when he was tired, he adjusted the mask when Seongwoo needed it, he drug him to where the most fish were so he wouldn’t miss out or get bored, and he calmed him down when a fish actually bit him and he thought it was the sting of a jelly fish and he was now poisoned and would need his fingers amputated.

“How was it?” Daniel asked as he laid on his back and kicked, slowly dragging the exhausted, soaked brunette who looked the absolute sexiest when he was wet and slightly tanned and his sculpted cheek bones rosy from the exercise by the waist.

Seongwoo pursed his lips and cocked his head. Daniel couldn’t help but smile wider despite how tired and difficult it was to swim for two of them after an hour of snorkeling, showing how completely smitten he was to the staff members. Which at this moment he hardly cared about because he had been having too much fun and the experience made him feel closer to Seongwoo.

“Well, the water sure went in a lot more than I expected and this wet suit is so clingy and uncomfortable…”

“Besides that…?” Daniel rolled his eyes, knowing that Seongwoo was again hamming it up for the purpose of entertaining future viewers, trying to get a rouse out of Daniel to start another comical argument between the ‘cat and dog’ as they were nicknamed.

“It was…exhilarating and eye-opening. We should see if we can do it again in Korea somewhere, with all the members. They would love it.”

“Hmm, I think I know a few people who would be even bigger whiney babies than you.”

“Hey, I wasn’t that…hmm, you have a point there. Can you just not mention it once we get out of here?”

“Ong, they’re going to all see it, sorry to say. I’m not going to ask the staff to cut out such priceless comedy. The whole world will see you freak out because you got bit by a fish and how you got a cramp after literally one minute of kicking in the water.”

Seongwoo groaned and swiped a hand down his face. Daniel grinned and cackled evilly. “Fuck my life, man. FML…”

“What do you want to do now?”

“Hmm, I’m currently out of ideas. What do you want to do?”

“I want to…” he looked pointedly at Seongwoo’s lips and licked his own.

Seongwoo shook his head and raked his hand through his hair. Daniel winced as the sight of Ong’s forehead made him infinite levels hotter, making his body tense like an electric shock went through him. God, the freaking visuals on this human…

“We’re not going back to the hotel for a nap. I mean, some sort of outdoor activity.”

Daniel scrunched up his nose, feeling disappointed. He had been thinking of a very fun, private, extra exhilarating indoor activity that they could do and hadn’t done in several days but they were both dying for.

“How about surfing?”

“Pfft. Just because you are good at skateboarding and snowboarding doesn’t automatically make you a pro at another kind of board. You will be in deep, moving currents and waves. With sharks and jelly fish and coral galore. I hardly think that our company would allow you to put yourself at such risk when you’ve got a full set of schedules coming up next week…”

Daniel stopped kicking and hugged Seongwoo under the water, pressing up to his ear to whisper, “We’ll see. You know just how convincing I can be, baby~”  

Seognwoo shivered and flushed red. “Stop it, you stupid puppy!”

 

 

(Rated M Part)

 

“Are you feeling alright? You look stiff…I told you to stop an hour earlier but you just had to keep on going…” Seongwoo scolded as he came out of the shower, toweling his hair.

Daniel ceased rubbing his aching bare shoulders, turning around on the peanut shaped couch that was more like a bed, his expression guilty. He didn’t like getting caught lying to Seongwoo because then Seongwoo felt angry and hurt on top of being worried. He didn’t like his lover experiencing any kind of negative emotions that put a furrow in his dark, groomed brows, even if it was irresistibly sexy.

Daniel beckoned Seongwoo over, saying softly, “You were right, again…What is this instinct in me that makes it so I never listen to others, especially if they are older?”

Seongwoo tossed the towel on the bed, beads of water dripping from his hair, making his pale skin glisten. Daniel pinched and tugged his chin, leaning forward with his lips pursed. Seongwoo sighed softly and his furrow relaxed as Daniel gently kissed it away, his magic moved that always worked if they were only away from cameras so they were allowed to do it. Otherwise Daniel had to settle for over-the-top antics and jokes and huge, dorky smiles which Seongwoo found contagious since he was a naturally bright person.

“That’s called a rebellious streak, my adorable Kang Choding. And you truly have it bad. How much longer am I going to have to just sit and watch you hurt yourself by jumping over the fansign table or doing one-handed flips with your bad hand, hmm? Aigoo, I can’t live because of you, my poor heart…” Seongwoo lightly chided as he knelt behind Daniel on the coach and started rubbing his aching shoulders.

“Sorry…it must be hard dating me…Ouch, not so harsh thou please…” Daniel whined, grimacing as Seongwoo’s fingers went savage on a knot just beneath his shoulder blades which was the central cause of his current back pain.

“If I don’t do it hard, then it won’t go away, you know. Stop being a baby. I know you like pain.”

“There’s other things that won’t go away unless you do it hard and painful too, you know, baby…” Daniel turned his head to wiggle his eyebrows, speaking seductively.

His flirting worked wonders. Seongwoo bit his lip, blushed, and his pupils dilated. That’s all it took to turn his eager to please, always ready to play baby on. He would act like he wasn’t affected by anything Daniel said or did though because Seongwoo liked the cat and mouse game and was great at playing hard to get. Good thing that Daniel loved the chase, as his kind usually did.

“Are you chilly, baby? I can warm you up…”

Daniel reached around to stroke his silky, warm skin underneath his pajamas. Seongwoo’s breath hitched.

Seongwoo said cliply, “I’m not cold.”

“Are you sure? You feel cold to me. Come closer…”

Daniel reached around and pulled Seongwoo to the couch, forcing him on his back. Seongwoo squirmed and complained, insisting that he had to work out Daniel’s knots more.

“I have a much bigger issue that’s causing me pain, baby. Why don’t you work that out first, hmm?” Daniel hummed against his ear, pressing his erection against Seongwoo’s thigh.

“Really, Daniel…ah…” he moaned as Daniel sucked and nipped at his ear and slid his hand from his stomach to his nipple, swiping his thumb across the bud until it was perky.

Daniel couldn’t wait long. He loved foreplay usually but they had been doing nothing but foreplay without reaching satisfaction for days. He was going crazy with want and he knew that Seongwoo was as well. He sucked down his neck and then his stomach, pulling his pajama bottoms and boxers off.

“Do you mind if I top today?” he murmured as he kissed along Seongwoo’s pale, smooth thighs, his hand stroking the other’s pulsing, purplish cock.

“Sure, hmm…I’m too tired to do any work. My legs are killing me…”

“Okay, I’ll make it quick then. I don’t want you to cramp up again.”

Seongwoo hissed and bucked into his hand, his nails digging into the couch. “Ah…can you first…?”

“Can’t wait either huh? Mr. Impatient…” Daniel smirked and got on his knees on the floor, his face going towards Seongwoo’s hips.

“Yes…” Seongwoo breathed with a pleasured hiss like a snake. “Oh, fuck yes…”

Daniel sucked and swirled his tongue over the tip and squeezed and turned the base of Seongwoo’s lovely dick just like he liked. It wasn’t long before Seongwoo was crying his name and cursing, his legs squeezing Daniel’s shoulders, his fingers buried tight and digging at Daniel’s wet blonde hair. He tossed his head back and forth and girated into Daniel’s face as he came hard, hot, and long. Daniel hummed in pleasure and stroked Seongwoo’s smooth thighs as he greedily swallowed and gently stroked until the last bit of his lover’s tasty seed was gone, the fruits of his labor.

Daniel climbed up on the couch to see his face which he missed dearly and had been deprived of with the angle they had been at. Seongwoo was beautifull flushed, dazed, and panting around a satiated, wide grin.

“Good, huh?”

Seognwoo looked at him and nodded, grinning even wider. Daniel nuzzled his flushed, warm cheek and then kissed over his unique constellation freckles. He loved the taste and smell of Seongwoo’s skin mixed with soap and sweat. He got lost in kissing him all over. Seongwoo hummed in pleasure and kissed him back here and there as he fondled Daniel’s straining, thick, hot cock outside his pajamas.

“How do you want me?”

“I want you on a piece of toasted bread with raw onions, seaweed, jellies, and raw bacon. If I say that, would you do it for me?” Daniel joked as he sniffed under his jaw and nipped at his delicious, prominent adam’s apple.

Seongwoo’s throat vibrated against Daniel’s lips as he chuckled. “You and your weird food tastes…”

“I would take Ongyu over that any day. If you have any more for me…”

Seongwoo smacked his arm, blushing harshly. Ongyu was the name Daniel had given to his sperm which he said was like the taste of Ong plus sugarless milk. Daniel pulled Seongwoo by the hips. Seongwoo followed direction well. Daniel stood up while Seongwoo was on all fours. They both looked out over the gorgeous ocean view during sunset, the most romantic time they could have possibly chosen to make love.

Seongwoo gasped and tensed as Daniel entered into him swift and raw. Daniel stilled and pet Seongwoo’s spine and hip until he grew relaxed enough for him to feel comfortable moving. Daniel was always careful not to rip his lover if he could avoid it, though sometimes they got too impassioned and Seongwoo pushed him to go rougher. Today it didn’t seem that’s what was going to happen. Seongwoo wanted something soft, intimate, gentle, slow—a romantic, emotional session that would set the mood. That’s just what Daniel was going to give to him, because this whole weekend was dedicated to him. Seongwoo would get anything and everything that he wanted, as he rightfully deserved for being an angel trapped in human form.

Daniel pet his thighs and kissed along his spine, watching the crashing waves as he started thrusting at their rocking, gentle rhythm. Seongwoo’s soft moans and sighs reminded him of the sound of ebbing and flowing waves, only they were more stimulating and musical. Their bodies grew damper and warmer as they slid and crashed again and again, Daniel running his hands along every inch of Seongwoo’s quivering, smooth body. Daniel stood up so he could have better angle and control, delving deeper into the depths of his lover, finding that spot that eventually made him really sing and quiver.

“Ah, Daniel…ah…”

“Yes, hmm, Seongwoo…?” Daniel grunted out as he gripped those pale hips and watched his dick gloriously sinking into the center of the soft, glowing mounds.

“Thank you… for my presents…I really have loved it…but not as much as the most important thing…which is you…I love you…” he moaned, reaching out to hold Daniel’s wrist.

Daniel sank in deeper and increased his pace, rewarded with the most beautiful sounds coming out of his lover’s pink, open mouth pressed against the blue and white striped fabric of the couch. “I love you more baby. So, so much more…”

 

 

Their last day was spent shopping for clothes at the Ala Moana Center, a famous outlet, and souvenirs for their members and family. They took care of the souvenirs first since they had a list. For the women in their families, they bought Coach bags they found fifty percent off, and for the men in their families they bought cigars. The members wanted miscellaneous things, mostly snacks and brand clothes that were cheaper or adult toys like model kits and giant nerf guns and games.

 Seongwoo and Daniel fought over who should carry what. Daniel suggested they play a game for it, knowing he would win, and in the end he ended up carrying twice as much of the heavy items as Seongwoo had. Seongwoo pouted, using his expert, professional level acting skills to seem upset about it, but Daniel knew inside he was giddy as hell because he hated carrying things as he was a weakling. Daniel would have taken it from him by force after ten minutes of him sighing and whining about how his arms felt like they were going to break off and he just wanted to go rest in a café because his feet were hurting. Thinking of that, Daniel suggested they go to a café.

“Really?” Seongwoo instantly brightened, his deep-set, double-lidded, dark eyes sparkling like they were infused with the purest diamonds.

“Sure, your feet are probably killing you, right? We’ve been at it for two hours straight. Let’s take a rest. I’m sure the macchiatos here will be even better.”

Seongwoo’s expression sank. He cleared his throat and waved a small bag of pineapple cakes in his hand, feigning comfort. “No, it’s okay. Don’t stop on my account. I’m doing fine. I didn’t complain even once.”

“Ah, so you were okay then. I must have misread the way you were half limping. I guess you just have something in your shoe or your sock is all bundled. Nevermind then, let’s go do clothes shopping. I’m sure we can finish it in another two hours…”

Seongwoo groaned as Daniel walked away with giddiness in his long-gaited strides. “Ugh, wait! Okay, I guess I am really curious about American style coffee and wouldn’t mind a tiny bit of a rest…”

Daniel turned around and came back, winking and smirking. “Sure, grandpa. Nice save there.”

“Shut up. It’s coincidence.” Seongwoo stuck his tongue out at him.

The three staff members with cameras following them around giggled but didn’t comment for once. Daniel knew now that two of them were mainly Seongwoo stans but he didn’t mind that. They weren’t competition for one. For two, the more love that Seognwoo got the better because he deserved it and been robbed of it for too long, not been giving the spotlight or the proper chance for so many years.

He could share Seongwoo with the public every once in awhile. Though he refused to share him once they were in a bed, under no circumstances. Not even in Jaehwan’s case who was always trying to steal some snuggle time because he was one of Seongwoo’s number one fans and best friends, after Daniel of course. Daniel always had top priority and Seongwoo let him have his way, though he snickered here and there because he was amused and flattered by Daniel’s fierce jealousy when they were in private.

Seongwoo stood for awhile, scratching his chin and humming a Heize song as he looked over the menu. Daniel subtly bumped his shoulder and poked his waist. Seongwoo jumped and squealed, having been startled, then smacked him in the stomach for it, making Daniel exaggerate the pain. The staff surrounding them giggled again, two of them specifically training their lenses on Seongwoo and watching him with motherly grins.

“Why even bother pretending that you’re going to get something else, Ong? It’s always the same. One iced caramel macchiato double shot.”

“This time I’m really going to try something different,” Seongwoo insisted with a ‘hing’ face, scrunching up his pretty eyes in order to see the board, his hand patting Daniel’s stomach absently in his subtle show of concern if he had actually hurt him back there or not.

“Okay, what are you thinking of then? I’m going to get an iced americano.”

“Bleh. You’re so one-tone.”

Daniel rolled his eyes and lightly smacked Seongwoo’s bum. Woops, that would need to be edited out, he thought after he had done it.

“Let’s see who’s one-tone after you choose your drink.”

In the end, Seongwoo got the drink Daniel had ordered and Daniel teased him relentlessly, nicknaming him ‘ong-tone.’ The staff loved this and got a ton of close-ups of Seongwoo’s blushing, irritated face. They must understand now why Daniel liked to tease him so much. Seongwoo being teased was attractive and funny. You just wanted to shrink him and carry him around in your pocket all day long.

After taking a rest at the café, they went into various clothing stores to find new looks. They bought a few cool items, then for fun they decided to dress each other. They both had the same thought that they should pick something comical. Daniel made Seongwoo wear a dress, clown shoes, blonde wig, heart glasses, and sparkly accessories. Seongwoo made Daniel wear red pants and a seathrough raincoat with a sombrero and crazy eyed glasses.

They both came out from the dressing rooms with dramatic flair and really hammed up their embarrassment and reactions at the horrific outfits. They were confident this segment would bring laughs to their fans and become famous memes that they would later see and save on various SNS platforms. They both liked to post on their fan cafes and search their names, lurking around on the internet to get to know their fans better and see what exactly they were talking about them these days.

 

 

A month later, Daniel and Seongwoo had a broadcast where they had to watch some clips of their edited show and comment on certain things the hosts talked about. Mostly there were questions about the things they saw, did, and what they thought of the culture, scenery, and food there. Since the two were mostly food junkies, they talked in the most detail about how delicious the food was that they had and how it different greatly from Koreanized ‘Western’ foods. It had been more to Seongwoo’s taste though, since he like salty and sweet foods. Daniel was addicted to the meat, which was much cheaper and most delicious when it was left rare and bloody.

“One thing that I noticed was that you guys seem very close? Is that real or you guys just sort of ham it up for the sake of the broadcast?” One host asked, surprising the other hosts and the staff even.

Seongwoo and Daniel shared a look and an awkward, musical laugh. They gestured to each other for who would go first, causing another staff to comment about how the two would often mimic and be considerate of each other just like this.

“I’ll go first about this then. Seongwoo and I are very close. Closer than you can imagine.”

“Daniel, don’t say weird things like that. People will misunderstand again!” Seongwoo blushed, hitting his arm and laughing nervously in a high pitch.

Daniel shrugged and smirked, like he couldn’t care less about that and he didn’t think he had said anything wrong. Their eyes ran over the staff filming the interview segment, several of which he recognized as being in the crew on their trip. They had wide, shit-eating grins. They knew very well just how close these two were and what was the nature of their relationship, but they were sworn to secrecy and had worked hard to edit out the hundreds of tiny moments that would give shippers the evidence they needed. The real life ‘ongniel’ moments that had been cut out were hidden away for now in a secret black disk that Daniel had requested be given to him later. He was planning on giving it to Seongwoo on their 200 days anniversary.

“We have been best friends since we were on Produce 101. From the very beginning actually. We are very similar, have similar interests, and our personalities and humor codes just click. Simple as that. We look close because we are close.”

“But we’re not like…dating or anything. We’re not a couple. Just friends…” Seongwoo murmured, waving his shaky hands about in an unnecessary gesture that suggested he was incredibly nervous.

“Sure, no homo stuff…” Daniel countered his words though by squeezing Seongwoo’s shoulders and then sliding his hand down his spine, looking at the older man in a sweet, reassuring way that could easily be misinterpreted even by people who didn’t believe in their ship.

The host called Seongwoo out on it immediately, commenting about how nervous he seemed and he was blushing and how he got affected when Daniel got physical especially. Seongwoo practically died right there in front of tons of people. Daniel found the moment amusing so that he watched that part of the clip through his fan café post about it and laughed even several months later. It was probably his most favorite ongniel moment he had saved because Seongwoo had never seemed quite so obvious as right then. It was impossible even though they tried their best to hide pure science, after all.

Ongniel is and forever will be science.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> First of all, sorry that this one-shot is happening several weeks later than I intended. I've been busy with schoolwork, married life, twitter, wanna one, chatting, all kinds of distractions that I've recently had barely any time for writing. Hopefully from the next month on I will be better. I hope you enjoyd this extra long, fluffy, fun real life Ongniel story that's been in my mind for several months just stewing in my notes.
> 
> This story is for my friend Momo for her birthday. She really wanted Ongniel in Hawaii on Battle trip, even before 2park Battle trip happened. She was bummed that it will probably never happen for them, so I decided to give it to her in written form for her Birthday which was earlier this month. Thank you girl for being such a great friend. I'm really glad I met you last month. I have a blast chatting with you, especially about our fav ship and second fav ship with BTS now haha. Thanks for sending me great music and giving great advice when I'm having rough times. I love you and hope you continue to read my stories and support me and that we keep in touch often <3
> 
> Next one-shot will be my first ever (mostly platonic/one-sided crush) Onglin! Look forward to that sometime next month. I'm going back to writing my Ongnielhwang story if you want to check it out~
> 
>  
> 
> <3 Raina


	8. That's What I Like(Onglin)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guanlin has a crush on Seongwoo but has kept it secret since Seongwoo is dating Daniel. When the relationship starts turning sour and it looks like he might have a chance, Guanlin finally confesses and turns on his charm. However, Seongwoo thinks that he's just joking as he's been joking a lot to cheer him up. He thinks of Guanlin as a close friend and too young to be thinking of dating, especially with a guy. Guanlin ends up put in a tough position.

Go pop it for a player, pop-pop it for me  
Turn around and drop it for a player, drop-drop it for me

Anything you want  
(Just to put a smile on you)  
You deserve it baby, you deserve it all  
And I'm gonna give it to you

                       -- That's What I Like by Bruno Mars, covered in P101 by Ong Seongwoo

 

 

"Hyung, you're really handsome today."

"Lin Lin, you say that every day. It's lost its affect."

"Look, you're blushing though. I think someone's pants are on fire."

"Huh? Fire? Where?!"

"A figurative one. Because you're lying."

"Ah ha....good one..."

The tall, slim, dark-haired man dressed in black Gucci with three pretty, star-like little moles in a triangle formation stopped spinning around checking his backside and laughed. They were currently on a photo shoot break. Both were models for the same company and close friends who had been working together for some time. They were fashion forward, trendy, incredibly tall, painting-worthy handsome, and always smiling around each other. Guanlin was a bit taller and prettier, like a prince. Seongwoo was more traditionally handsome and looked like Korean mixed with something else.

They were from different countries but Guanlin's Korean was good enough now that he could joke and that's what he did often. The reason was simple. Seongwoo radiated beautifully when he laughed.

He liked lots of images of the chameleon model who majored in acting but his genuinely smiling expression was by far his favorite. These days Seongwoo had been frowning, scowling, moping, and sighing so Guanlin had been joking more and more often to bring his real smile back out. The reason was his touring dancer boyfriend—yes, Guanlin had a crush on a guy who was taken, he was a bad person--and Seongwoo were long distance now and it wasn't going very well.

"Thanks for cheering me up all the time, Lin. I don’t express it much but I really appreciate it. No one picks me up like you do."

 "No problem. You seem to need it more today. You looked like you were about to cry out there. Is everything okay?"

"Ah, well..." Seongwoo looked at the floor and laughed nervously while poking at his flexible ears.

“Uh-oh. What sort of drama stuff happened this time with him?”

Seongwoo admitted somberly while clearly barely holding himself together, "Me and Daniel…well…we kinda broke up."

“What?!”

Inside, Guanlin was doing the popping dances that he wasn't very good at but master Ong had taught him. Outside he displayed the image of a genuinely concerned friend with absolutely nothing to gain from this news. He hugged him lightly around the waist. Seongwoo turned and leaned back into him, a gentle yet rather sad smile on his face. Ignoring his racing heart that occurred every time he initiated frequent skinship with his friend, Guanlin squeezed his tiny squishy tummy.

"Tell me what happened. All the gruesome, painful details this time. That's awful. I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's stupid really. He went to a party and he didn't call me like he usually does in the morning, so I thought maybe he hooked up with someone. Terrible of me to think, right? When he's given me no reason not to trust him. I was angry and I threatened him that if he didn't message me in an hour then we were over. That was hours ago. So, I texted him that we are over. Simple as that."

The voice of reason won out over his impulse not to help them get back together. Seongwoo just wasn't saying anything that made any kind of sense. He had acted much too irrationally and on the spot.

"Hyung...it could be lots of other things besides what you think. You should have waited a day at least. This is why I tell you, one, you are so dumb when you're angry. Two, don't angry text. Seems like you're going to regret it..."

Seongwoo nodded and rested his forehead on Guanlin's shoulder like a baby. "I do regret it. I seriously over reacted. I miss him already…he was perfect..."

Guanlin heart stung as he gently pet his back.

"He isn't the one that's perfect hyung. That's you. You deserve better. If there’s anyone that blew it, it’s him."

"I do? Yeah, hmm, maybe I do. If he would just take a second to message me…"

"I would treat you better."

"You would…" Seongwoo murmured absently as he looked down at his their feet.

"Because I like you more."

The handsome brunette nodded slowly. "Right, because you like--Neh?"

 Seongwoo jumped back, forcing Guanlin to release him. They had a stare off, Seongwoo startled and confused while Guanlin was oddly calm. He had confessed. Without even thinking. Without being nervous. It just slipped out naturally. But he didn't regret it. Until Seongwoo started laughing, thinking he had been joking.

"Ah, that's a good one, Lin. You're killing me these days. You liking me when you are so young you barely know where babies come from or what a penis is really used for? Not possible. You had me fooled even just for a second."

Guanlin turned red from humiliation as his crush laughed off his confession and unknowingly insulted him.

"Hyung, wait, no--"

He was interrupted by work in the most untimely fashion. It was time to shoot again. He sighed and ran his hand down his face.

It is the truth though hyung, why didn't you believe me even for a second?

 

 

 Later on, Seongwoo was resting on the couch in the dressing room. He was wearing casual clothes now, bare faced(breathtakingly beautiful and flawless), and drinking a soda. Guanlin was also in casual clothes now, his makeup removed, platinum blonde hair flattened, poking into his eyes.

"Hyung~" Guanlin cooed as he hugged Seongwoo around his neck.

"Ah! You startled me!"

Seongwoo had been started as usual. Guanlin chuckled and squeezed him, finding him adorable whenever he was off set. He acted much younger than his age when he wasn’t in front of a camera. Guanlin only thought of age as a number. He himself felt older than his actual age, so the gap between them didn't matter so much. He just wished it was the same for Seongwoo.

However, it would seem he still considered him a kid. He knew just what a penis was for and where babies were from. He had known about no storks existing years ago, thanks to a lovely tell-all informative device called the internet. Mostly through boy love comics and porn sites.

"What are you doing? Besides being handsome and taking all the collagen from the air for yourself to achieve next levels up of flawless skin and radiance."

"Stop, too cheesy~ I’m choking, bleh~" Seongwoo cringed and swatted his arms.

“You know you like it. Just like you know how nice your skin is.”

Guanlin caught one of his hands as it lingered and held it loosely. Seongwoo didn't pull away or seem phased by it as usual. Guanlin wasn't sure if it was that Seongwoo was oblivious to his charms and unaffected because he saw him as nothing more than a kid or if it was because he was like a rag doll others often cuddled and fondled. Maybe he just liked skinship and being manhandled even though he had a significant other.

Seongwoo was popular and many people in the industry touched him and he hardly pushed them away. Guanlin wondered how Daniel would feel about it. Guanlin himself would hate it. He would want to lock Seongwoo away or put him in a plastic hard bubble. He wanted to be the only one allowed to snuggle with the gorgeous, sweet, talented man.

"I'm just resting while waiting for my manager to come.”

“Need a ride?"

"Yeah, now that I think about it. Can’t let you go alone, you might get lost and hurt yourself."

“I am bad but my manager is baby sitter enough, thanks. You shouldn’t spoil me.”

“What if I think you deserve to be spoiled?” Guanlin suggested with a playful tone.

“Then I will become a rotten person. Anyway, I repeat. Do you need a ride? The offer only lasts five more seconds."

 He had lied to Seongwoo once that he needed a ride home because he had no manager. Actually, his home was close and he wasn't famous like Seongwoo yet so he didn't have need for a manager though he did have one technically. His just managed his schedules virtually.

He had Seongwoo's manager or Seongwoo drive him around in circles basically so he could spend more time with Seongwoo. Even if he was on his phone with his dancer boyfriend, at least he could secretly enjoy the incredible view. Then, he would get caught and Seongwoo would tease him and flush; so attractive it was. Guanlin wouldn't act shamed. He would just admit the truth, he had never seen someone who was as handsome as a god and his eyes just gravitated towards pretty things. Seongwoo would shyly laugh it off, telling him to stop exaggerating or he would insist that Guanlin was just as handsome, if not more. Guanlin got secretly giddy when Seongwoo complimented his looks especially.

"Alright, wait here with me. I’m lonely."

"Got it. Wouldn't dream of going anywhere else. Lonely Ddongwu is a scary being."

Though he likely found it bothersome especially with how much he cherished his hair, Guanlin rested his chin on top of Seongwoo's head and nuzzled into him. He noticed that Seongwoo was checking his calls and messages for anything from Daniel. When he saw that his messages still hadn't been read yet, he sighed and stared at the screen. Guanlin took the phone and set it aside, thinking it was his duty as a friend to distract him and get him at least some level of happy during his heart break in this roller coaster, energy sucking, long distance relationship.

"Hyung, I have an idea while we wait. I want to learn more popping!"

Seongwoo snorted, laying his head back on the back of the couch to look up at him. Guanlin smiled sweetly as he looked down, playing with the dark sideburns. Seongwoo was attractive even upside down.

If he was mine, if he was available and seemed even a tad interested in me, I would kiss him like crazy right now.

 It was tempting even without that but he was a polite gentleman. He wouldn't make Seongwoo cheat or kiss without some sign of permission. He had a solid code of what made a man. Protecting, cherishing, providing, being a wholesome, fair, kind, supportive family man.

"How do you have all this energy after shooting half the day and starving ourselves, huh?"

Guanlin grinned wide. "I get energized looking at your handsome face, hyung. You're my vitamin."

Seongwoo snickered, pretty face splashing with pink and lighting up the way Guanlin loved. So very pretty, especially his moles and his eyes, Guanlin thought as he caressed his cheek with hesitant fingers. They shared a moment as they smiled warmly while looking at each other and Seongwoo rested his hands over Guanlin's hands.

 See how perfect we are together, hyung? I would be a real good boyfriend to you. I would treat you so much better. Please see me as a man and leave that guy already.

 He didn't personally know him so he shouldn’t have anything against Daniel. He was only aware of his name and a bit of his personality but he didn't like him on principle. Anyone or anything that made Seongwoo sad even once didn't sit well with him and wasn't deserving of Seongwoo's affection anymore.

"Alright, let's go. My fan is asking so nicely, so how can I refuse?"

He stood up and came around the couch, jerking his body in all directions in a skillful, robotic fashion. As usual, Guanlin flashed his gummy smile and laughed sharply like a dolphin, clapping his hands enthusiastically at the sight of the ex b-boy’s impressive dancing skills.

 "Wah, Daebak sincha! Hyung is really the coolest! Ong Seongwoo, Ong Seongwoo, Ong Seongwoo!" He cheered and fist pumped as Seongwoo gave him a private show, receiving energy from his cheering and getting even sharper, faster, and more enthusiastic in his movements.

Guanlin shyly covered his face as Seongwoo performed waves and blew him a kiss at the end. It was cool, attractive, and sexy, making him think of things that a healthy teenage boy already probably thought of too much but had yet to be lucky enough to have the chance to try out.

He often wished he could ask his equally gay hyung to teach him various other things beyond dancing and modeling. Though that was obviously being greedy and monopolizing his time. Also, he liked Seongwoo too much to just have a relationship where they fooled around on the side. He wanted Seongwoo for himself and not to destroy their friendship. He knew he could do it well. He already took care of, cared for, and protected his clumsy, troublemaker, silly hyung a lot since they were together for work often.

"Your turn, Lin."

"Eh? Right away?" His heart started pounding from nerves when he was put on the spot, his mind going blank about any dance moves he had been previously taught.

"Yes! I just want to see what you recall and if you have been practicing, that’s all. It's a pop popping quiz, get it?"

He proudly smiled, silently begging Guanlin to laugh. It was pretty lame but he laughed anyway as usual, bright and loud. Seongwoo was sensitive to being ‘no jaem’. If he heard the phrase, he would immediately collapse. A white lie here and there wouldn’t send him to hell, likely.

"Good one, hyung! You're so funny! I like that about you. I like you."

He rubbed Seongwoo’s arms. Seongwoo gave him a half hug and shoulder pats.

"I like you too. But quiz time still. Lai Guanlin, Lai Guanlin!" Seongwoo started cheering.

He knew that Seongwoo didn't yet mean it the way he hoped, he met more as a friend. But he let himself be deluded and channeled his happiness at being liked back into his best popping session. Seongwoo clapped at the end.

"Oh~ not bad. Not bad at all. Just a few things..."

Guanlin flushed and bit his lip to stop from grinning too, obviously in delight as Seongwoo touched him to show him better how to make moves sharper and fixed the ones he had just done incorrectly. The best part of learning dancing was this. He did actually have an interest in dancing and enjoyed it but he enjoyed significantly more the feel of Seongwoo's sweet, gentle, smooth, pretty hands gliding and pressing directing his body with care and confidence. He could tell Seongwoo would be a fantastic lover and he wished that he would he his very first. No one touched and moved his body with such grace like Seongwoo did, and it got him to imagine inappropriate things. Especially earlier when they were modeling and vibing off each other’s chemistry.

"You know Guanlin... you're going to make some girl very happy someday. You're such a good kid."

Seongwoo ruffled his hair as Guanlin hugged him after their session was completed up to the perfectionist's satisfaction. Guanlin laid on his chest and squeezed, almost letting out a contented sigh. Seongwoo didn't question, figuring this was one of those times Guanlin was tired or lonely or homesick and needed some affection. He kept stroking his head and patting his back. It felt wonderful. Guanlin didn't want to be anywhere but in Seongwoo's arms and he didn't want the moment to ever end.

As soon as he thought it though, he jinxed himself. Seongwoo's phone was ringing as a call came in. Seongwoo rushed to it, lightly pressing Guanlin aside in his haste. Because it was none other than Daniel. That he was not over. His moment of happiness with Seongwoo was gone in more ways than one.

Seongwoo ran to the bathroom to answer the phone. "Hey, baby! Forget what I said, okay? I didn't mean it. I was just irrationally jealous and..."

After the door was shut, Guanlin couldn't make out anything but unclear murmurs.

"Ah, he's already going back to him when he doesn't even know the reason he didn't talk yet. He went to a dang club and partied all night and totally ignored you until now. He's too forgiving and blinded..."

Guanlin sighed as he leaned back on the couch, fighting the tears of frustration welling up.

 

 

"Things okay...?" Guanlin asked lightly, feigning he was hopeful and okay, when Seongwoo came out several minutes later.

Seongwoo was smiling and flushed, looking more handsome than ever. Guanlin hated how much he liked that look, Seongwoo being in love with someone else. He hated Daniel most of the time, but he appreciated the way he could make Seongwoo look on the good days. Although he was jealous he wasn’t the one making Seongwoo have that incredible look.

Did the guy not realize how close he was to having his lovely boyfriend stolen? He needed to treat him better this time or else. Guanlin wasn't going to hold back and be patient much longer, he swore. The next time these two broke up, he was going to confess for real. He would at least wait until that long. But his patience was really wearing thin. Seongwoo was just too extreme levels of lovely and cute.

"We made up. Thankfully. But what's wrong, Lin? You look upset. You aren't happy I made up with him? Well it was just my misunderstanding, you know. He wasn't doing anything bad actually. He lost his phone at the club and..."

Guanlin forced a smile, for Seongwoo’s sake, and pressed his cheek into his hand. Seongwoo came first, especially his happiness. If he was still tied up on Daniel and that’s what his heart truly wanted, then there wasn’t anything he could do but support him. Daniel just better hope that they never met because his greeting was going to be a sandwich of the knuckle variety.

"Hyung, that's not it. You don't need to explain. Of course I'm happy for you. You won't be gloomy anymore. Gives me less to do. Now I can play games instead of seal sitting."

"Hey, that's not being very nice. I didn’t teach my son to talk like that!"

Seongwoo pulled an adorable hing face and smacked his chest. Guanlin grabbed his hand and linked their fingers together. They both looked down at their fingers and shared shy smiles every time they did that. It was pleasant and electrifying. He wondered if Seongwoo also felt the things he felt when they held hands or if he just still felt the comfort of a younger, innocent friend. He was blushing right then but it was hard to tell if that was from him or the heat or something else.

Guanlin suggested brightly while squeezing his hand, "Let's go for a drive instead of home."

Seongwoo’s thin, kitten like lips turned up into a sexy half smirk, showing he was letting his mischievous side out. "You mean kick out my manager on to the street and steal the car? I'm in."

The partners in crime were about to be up to no good and causing their boss various headaches again to the point he whined about why he kept them around exactly(oh right, because they make me big bucks).

 I'll wait for you to realize I'm a grown-up man and then I will sweep you off your feet, hyung. You are worth it anyway. I just know it. But it would be great if you realized that I love you honestly on your own and you deserve better than what he’s done. Everything that you want, jewelry, your favorite strawberry champagne, a condo in Manhatten, anything that you have ever mentioned you want, I want to give that to you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been quite a long time since I've written any one shots huh? Very sorry about that. I haven't felt like writing them though I have a growing list of ideas. Just caught up with work and writing two new stories that's why. I hope you will check them out in my stories section. About this, sorry to make Daniel come off as a jerk. He's not actually doing things wrong to Ong, he's just not the most attentive boyfriend while they are long distance is all. So Seongwoo has a hard time but hardly shows it to anyone but his close friend and co-worker, Guanlin. I know that many people are uncomfortable with the idea of Guanlin being sexualized as a minor and many don't see this couple in a romantic sense. I still wanted to explore the idea of there possibly being something more going on with them. I thought it was more likely that Guanlin had a crush on Ong but that Ong wouldn't believe that his confessions were real because Lin is so young and handsome and he figured he'd be straight. I hope this short fluffy chapter was enjoyable. Since Ong is my first bias and Lin is my third, I think that's why I like the idea of them together too. And also Guanlin really takes good care of Ong and I like how Lin compliments him and cuddles up with him a lot. They are just adorable. But yeah Lin seems more like Ong's son most of the times. Then there are times I wonder though, does Lin really think that way? Lin acts a bit manly around Ong and treats him well and keeps him out of danger just like how Dan does. It would be interesting if this whole time Ong liked Niel but Lin liked Ong.
> 
> See you with angsty Ongniel next! Please comment, give kudos, and recommend if you enjoyed~ Thanks so much for checking out these drabbles and using your time to support me. I really appreciate it~ 
> 
> <3 Raina


	9. Day By Day(Ongniel angst)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seongwoo and Daniel are happy until Seongwoo learns that he doesn't have much chance to live for long. Seongwoo plans to drive Daniel away by asking his friend, Minhyun, to pose as his boyfriend and create a situation where Daniel catches them cheating on him. It tears apart their friendships and relationships.
> 
> (80% angst with a tiny bit of fluff, Minhwan, and a happy ending)

Day by Day

Hope your heart is relieved after leaving me  
Just forget me and live on  
Those tears will all dry up, yeah  
As day by day passes  
If we never met each other then it would have hurt less, mm  
The promise of us staying together is now a memory baby  
I’ll pray for you

Don’t look back and leave  
Don’t find me again and just live on  
Because I have no regrets from loving you, so only take the good memories  
I can bear it in some way  
I can stand it in some way  
You should be happy if you are like this  
Day by day it fades away

Oh, girl, I cry, cry  
You’re my all, say goodbye, bye  
Oh, my love, don’t lie, lie  
You’re my heart, say goodbye

\--Day by Day(Haru Haru) by Big Bang

 

“So, I’ll meet you at that café you like in two hours, okay?” the husky, deep, warm tone with the Busan accent could be heard purring out from the phone’s receiver.

“Sure. It seems like such a long time.”

Seongwoo sighed, gripping the cell phone and cradling it closer as if he could feel his boyfriend’s smooth skin through it magically. Although they lived together, he missed him every day that they had to be apart for their classes and part time jobs. Dance major Daniel was currently working at a pizza restaurant and acting major Seongwoo was leaving the class with his friend, Minhyun. They often went out for dates to keep their romance alive since it was possible for it to disappear after two years of dating nearly, half of which they had been living together.

Daniel chuckled, a sound that still magically sent shivers flowing gently like chocolate fondue down his spine, warming him with the sweetness. “I know just how you feel baby. I miss you too. I will be flying over there as soon as I can, literally. I put wings on my board.”

“Don’t rush please. Be careful. I don’t want to see any more scratches.”

Daniel disliked spending money on public transportation. He rode his skateboard everywhere and saved that money for the trip to New York they were planning. Seongwoo had always wanted to go there and see his older sister again. Daniel was fine with traveling to any country as long as he was with Seongwoo, or so he had cheesily said several times which made Seongwoo blush furiously every time. Daniel was the romantic sort that blurted out movie-worthy lines naturally and then died of embarrassment after he realized what he had let slip out while Seongwoo cracked up laughing and later teased him about.

“It was literally the size of a fingernail, Seongwoo-ya. I didn’t even feel it. I didn’t even know it was there honestly.”

“Then you should be more aware before you come back home with half a finger gone!” he snapped in aghast at how his soul had slipped out of his body for a moment then seeing his boyfriend with blood allover his hands.

“Oh, come on, now. Don’t start exaggerating again. I would know if I lost a finger.”

“I’m not. You really wouldn’t notice I think. Because you’re a dumb puppy!”

“Hey, now. My break time is up. I can’t do this cat-dog fight just yet, pussy cat. Save your insults for later.”

Daniel was chuckling even though Seognwoo was sincerely concerned about him. That did honestly irritate him. However, his love for the blonde Busan b-boy/skaterboy with the killer smile and lovely dimples and mandu cheeks trumped all other feelings the instant the negative ones started popping up. Like when kneading dough, the lumps and indents from fingers just flattened right out as the fluffy layers were piled on top of each other. He just couldn’t stay angry at Daniel when he knew just how to smooth out his ruffled feathers.

“Alright. Have a good day.”

“You have a great day too, baby. See you soon. I love you more than existence itself.”

Daniel then kissed the phone several times. Seongwoo flushed and glanced over at Minhyun who was making a ‘yuck, please don’t do that sort of thing in front of me’ face. He put his hand over the phone and turned the opposite way, whispered he loved him back even more, kissed the phone just once lightly and then hung up. Doing that made them both super embarrassed so he didn’t know why Daniel insisted on ending their calls like that each day. As if they didn’t kiss each other or express their love verbally a hundred times at least at home every day. 

“Glad to see you guys are doing well as per usual. Not a single rainy day in Ongnielsville. Are you really okay being all lovey dovey like that, even in public though?” Minhyun asked curiously, wincing.

Seongwoo smiled wide and nodded at the taller, dark-haired man that looked like a handsome, intelligent fox. “I am okay with it, mostly. And you should be used to it. You have seen it possibly the most since you’re friends with both of us.”

“Ah, that’s true. How did I end up friends with you weirdo extortionists again?” he teased, tapping his chin with a smirk.

Seongwoo snorted and pushed him. “We’re hardly that level, Min. In public, at least we don’t—”

Seongwoo felt dizzy as Minhyun dodged away from his hold. He was falling forward and Minhyun was reaching out to grab him before he hit the asphalt. He was in a panic but he could hardly control any inch of his body to right himself or protect himself from being injured on important parts. His vision went totally black as he tumbled through the air towards the ashy colored doom. Something was terribly wrong.

 

 

Seongwoo woke up with a headache, fuzzy vision, and his body aching all over, especially his arms. He sat up and blinked, feeling dizzy and confused as he put all his brain energy into re-focusing his vision. Once he was able to see a bit clearer, he realized he was wearing a gown, lying in a small bed in a white room which had to be in a hospital, with an IV tube full of yellowish liquid running into his arm.

“Hmm? What’s this…?” he asked weakly, his voice extra parched and cracking when he tried to say more.

“Seongwoo…” Minhyun appeared by his side, taking his hand and looking pale as a ghost. Puffy, red eyes and sniffles showed that he had been crying for however long he was out of it.

“Why…am I …here? What…happened…?” Seongwoo rasped out, touching his throat which was feeling sore and scratchy. It was incredibly hard to talk.

Minhyun asked the nurse to bring him water and then helped Seongwoo drink from the cup.

“You passed out on the street suddenly. I heard this isn’t the first time? What’s going on Seongwoo? You mean to say that you have been sick this whole time I’ve known you?” 

Seongwoo winced at the hurt in his friend’s voice. No-one knew about his past struggles with this old, rare sickness that made him dizzy, faint, and lose control of his muscles, leaving him nearly paralyzed and having difficulty to speak after an episode. He hadn’t had an attack in so long he had almost forgotten about it. He should have heeded the doctor’s warning that it could come back some day even years and years later.

“Um, it’s difficult to explain. I’ll tell you after I hear from the doctor. Can you get them?”

“Sure, if you are sure you are going to be alright. We haven’t been here that long. I was going to call Daniel but it seems your phone is out of battery. If we don’t get ahold of him or get you home soon, he’s really going to worry. He might be waiting for you at the café all night.”

“Ah, I’ll deal with that. The doctor, please…”

Seongwoo pushed against Minhyun’s arm with the strength he could muster and smiled cutely, not revealing what he was feeling or thinking which was much more complex and darker. If he was here, that could only mean one thing. His sickness was back and it was worsening at a rapid rate. The doctors he had met before said that in the case that his condition grew worse than it had been previously, he was going to need surgery and the surgery was rather dangerous with low success rates. He was terrified to talk to the doctor but it was of the utmost concern.

 

 

Seongwoo and Minhyun were both shell-shocked after hearing what the doctor had to say. Seongwoo had wanted Minhyun to leave because he didn’t want him involved in this stressful, depressing part of his life but Minhyun refused to leave his side, insisting that he’d be there for Seongwoo in Daniel’s stead. Indeed, his condition was worse and the time before the surgery should occur was shorter than he had thought. That didn’t leave him much time to get things in order in case of the worst-case scenario and it hardly gave him time to properly say goodbye to Daniel. He didn’t want Daniel to know about this because it would bring their moods down and he certainly didn’t like the idea of leaving Daniel all alone in that house forever pining for him if he didn’t make it through the surgery.

Seongwoo grasped Minhyun’s hand tightly and looked up at him with pleading, cat like eyes. “Minhyun…I need you to do me a favor.”

Minhyun’s eyes were full of tears as he looked down at him and nodded. “Sure, anything…”

“One, I need you to keep this from Daniel…”

Minhyun hesitated, then bit his lip after getting ‘the look’ from Seongwoo. He nodded regrettably. “I don’t think it’s a good idea because he has a right to know and he will be furious later when he finds out before surgery…”

Seongwoo stared down at the IV sticking out of his pale, thin arm, hot crocodile tears slipping down his cheeks. “He’s not going to fond out though. Because he’s going to hate me and not hear anything from or about me every again.”

“Huh? Daniel would never hate you. He adores you.” Minhyun sounded confounded.

“He does as I do him. Which is why I have to break his heart. And you are going to be the cause.”

“Neh?!”

 

 

Daniel was at first concerned while he was waiting inside the café without a word or response from Seongwoo. Then, he was furious. Finally, he was flat out panicking after two hours. He rushed around outside before just going home. It was starting to rain after all and it was now pitch-black outside. He was hoping that something had happened and his phone was lost and so he’d just gone back home, knowing eventually Daniel would be there. 

He stopped when he saw a car parked outside their apartment building. They didn’t have a car and neither did many of the people there since they were all college students. As he grew closer, curiously gazing at it for some unknown reason, he realized he knew that model. It was the same brand as Minhyun’s car, and the same color. In fact, on closer inspection with the lights on inside, he saw Minhyun inside of it…with Seongwoo. Minhyun had his arm around Seongwoo and they were talking. 

Daniel felt relieved for a moment that Seongwoo was safe, figuring Minhyun had found him wondering around, maybe lost and without a phone or without battery and taken him home. That’s the moment when his heart stopped and he lost all control of his train of thought and the lid on his pandora’s box of negative emotions burst open. Seongwoo looked at him blankly, completely ignored his wave, then turned to Minhyun and…

Kissed him square on the mouth.

Minhyun leaned forward when they broke contact and…

Kissed him back. They were running their hands through each other’s hair and kissing over and over again, switching angles and bumping noses. Lips were smacking, tongues were flaying, teeth were clashing and nibbling. They were going at it right in the front seat under blaring lights for the whole neighborhood and him to see like it was some sort of show.

Daniel was frozen, watching the love of his life making out with their mutual friend. He felt like his heart shattered into a million pieces and splashed into the puddles of rain around his feet. Tears immediately spilled out and his knees grew weak like he was about to drop down on the ground, his hands balling into furious fists, his nails digging into his palms painfully. The emotion that followed the intense shock and sadness was fury at their betrayal, gall, and inconsideration of his feelings having him find out this way.

“What…the fuck?”

 

(A few minutes earlier)

 

“He could be here any moment. Put your arm around me,” Seongwoo commanded Minhyun, then forced him to do it with a frustrated groan, snuggling into his side like a skinny squirrel burrowing into its nest.

Minhyun didn’t feel anything about it besides intense guilt and concern. Seongwoo was a friend he cared for, but Seongwoo was not someone he was ever interested in in that way. Honestly, he thought this plan of Seongwoo’s was crazy. He was worried about Daniel’s reaction. The man was known to be possessive, aggressive, and have a bit of a fiery temper already.

“Are you sure about this? I don’t get your reasoning…”

Seongwoo leaned on his shoulder and sighed as he stared out the rainy window, not able to see much since they had the lights on inside the car on purpose for Daniel to see them together well when he came back to their home. Minhyun really wasn’t getting a good feeling about this. It felt like it was his first show and also the curtain call. Daniel was likely to grind him into dog food.

“It’s for the best. Imagine you had a cat. Would you rather think the cat ran away or got hit by a car?” 

Minhyun wasn’t sure where he was going with this or how Seongwoo could possibly sound so calm and sure after what he was going through and about to do. He was a lot stronger mentally than Minhyun had given him credit for all this time. “Er, I guess running away is better.”

“Why?” Seongwoo pressed gently.

“Because I would think ‘ah I wasn’t doing good enough, that’s why they left’ and hope that the cat found a better owner than me and was happy and healthy and safe somewhere.”

“Exactly. I’m that cat.”

“So you are running away?”

“Yes, but not because I’m scared. I just want to protect him from the pain of losing me.”

“He still will be in pain, you know. Because he’s still losing you, just to me.”

“It will hurt less for him to think I was cheating on him because he wasn’t treating me well enough than if some cruel fate stole me away that there’s nothing we could do about. He will be able to get over me faster and he won’t be left with a cold shoulder, feeling bitter towards the universe the rest of his life. Either way, whether it’s from this moment or in a couple months, I’m not going to be able to continue on as a part of his life. That’s the cold, hard, depressing truth.”

Minhyun sighed and bumped his head against his friend’s in frustration. “Seriously, Ong Seongwoo. It’s not like there isn’t hope—”

Seongwoo interrupted him with sudden urgency, smacking his knee. “Shh, he’s there. He saw me. Kiss me.”

Minhyun shook his head and moved as if to take his arm off Seongwoo’s shoulders. “No, I don’t think this is a good idea, on second thought, Seongwoo. I can’t do this for you. It’s just st—"

Seongwoo grabbed the back of his neck and forced him closer as he pressed forward. His lips met smack on with his. Minhyun sighed, having no choice but to kiss back at this point. This idiotic scheme of theirs had started the moment Daniel saw this and there was not going to be any easy getting out of it for now.

“Be more convincing, with tongue!” Seongwoo snapped, pinching his side.

“Ouch, hmm!” 

As soon as Minhyun’s mouth opened to exclaim about the pain this brat of a friend of his had caused, he was having it stuffed with the other’s tongue. Seongwoo’s kiss was desperate and wet and not the least bit sincere or nice. They clearly had no attraction to each other and Seongwoo was forcing himself to do this by acting like he was really into it though he detested the idea absolutely. 

Minhyun wondered why Seongwoo was going out of the way to hurt himself and make himself seem like the asshole of the century just for Daniel. Daniel must really mean more than the entire world to him or was the center of his entire universe. Now that world was crumbling and gravity caving into crush the into oblivion. He could feel it in the shaking of his lips and finger tips and the resistance of his entire body to Minhyun’s touch. 

Suddenly, the door was opened and Daniel was there. Minhyun had never seen such a murderous expression and immediately prayed to survive this night somehow. He grabbed Minhyun out of the car and threw him on the ground, straddling him and punching him hard in the cheek.

“You prick! You son of a bitch! You fucking slimy two-faced bastard! How fucking dare you do that with Seongwoo, MY Seongwoo! You boyfriend stealing betraying disgusting snake!” he shouted as he punched and shook Minhyun until Minhyun was spitting blood and no longer had the energy to struggle to get the bulky blonde off of him. All he could do was think that he deserved this and it was exactly as he had suspected and he was seriously regretting doing Seongwoo any favors.

“Daniel, stop!” 

Seongwoo who had been watching the scene in a daze with a blank expression and tears streaming down his face finally wiped his tears and stepped out of the car. He felt like he had to do something before Minhyun ended up terribly hurt which wasn’t fair. Daniel took one look at him, the betrayal and confusion and fury mixed over his handsome, rain-soaked features.

“Tch. So you protect him? I guess he’s the one you choose then…” he scowled and then spit on the ground near Minhyun’s head. “Fine, be with him then if that’s what you want. He’s not so pretty anymore though.”

Then, he gave Minhyun one last punch in the gut and climbed off, his hands fisted and his shoulders tensed. He didn’t take a single look at Seongwoo again as he stormed into the building.

Seongwoo helped Minhyun into the car, using some tissues in the glove box to wipe off the blood, mud and rain. 

“Are you alright? I wasn’t expecting…” Seongwoo murmured in half shock, half concern.

Minhyun scoffed, half smiled and laid back on the head rest. “That was exactly what I was expecting and why I was saying this idea was stupid, Seongwoo. It just hurt more and I ended up looking like a total wimp more so than I thought. Your boyfriend’s muscles are really not for show.”

“Sorry…You should go home and ice it. I will go in now…” he murmured softly, dabbing at the swelling, bloody cuts and gravel marks on Minhyun’s face with the corner of a clean tissue.

“I’m not sure if that’s a good idea. Have you really thought this through, Seongwoo? If you go in now, I’m certain you guys will have a fight and break up. This is your last chance to stop this insanity and hurt yourself…”

Seongwoo stared at the bandage covering his arm where the IV had been earlier, recalling the doctors words. The chances to survive the surgery were slim but his family had long ago agreed to take the risk in order not to lose him no matter the cost. He had to go through with it according to their wishes. After all they had done for him, he couldn’t give up on his life completely, even to prolong the time with the one he loved.

Minhyun watched Seongwoo look outside with a determined look, any trace of his tears currently gone. It was admirable how he stuck to a goal once he made up his mind. It was also foolish. Foolish, poor, sick, soon to be ever so heart broken and all alone dealing with the surgery preparation and his worsening condition, Ong Seongwoo. Minhyun decided he was going to stick by his side at least. He couldn’t let the man deal with this all on his lonesome.

“I have to do this. I’m going to.”

Minhyun pulled Seongwoo into a fierce hug. “Sorry that this has happened to you both. You deserve better. I’m really sorry…” he murmured, sniffling as tears stung his eyes and dripped onto some cuts, stinging miserably.

Seongwoo patted his back. “It’s not your fault, Minhyun. We were just too happy all this time. Unhappiness was bound to boomerang back at us several times over. That’s just the way this shitty world works. We all like happy endings but in the real world that hardly ever happens.”

“I will still pray for that miracle then.”

Seongwoo replied bitterly as he thought about all that he was about to lose that was precious to him in the blink of an eye because this devilish sickness was back completely out of the blue, “You can try, buddy. But I don’t believe in miracles, not anymore. That me died earlier today.”

 

The room was dark when Seongwoo went inside. He smelled whisky. Daniel was on the couch, drinking from a bottle while watching the storm outside their veranda window. The burn was the only thing that could sooth the boiling rage, panic, and hurt in his soul. They were both oddly silent, the air tense and stale. The only sound was the wind and pattering rain.

“So…how long has it been?” he asked, his voice tense, low, and just the beginning of slurred. 

Seongwoo kept his tone flat, quiet, and devoid of any emotion so as not to be caught in the middle of scene two of this movie. “It just happened.”

“Do you like him a lot? More than me?” Daniel sounded wounded and insecure.

“I don’t know. Maybe.”

Daniel sighed and took a long drink from the bottle, glaring out the window. “Are you going to keep seeing him?”

Seongwoo bundled his shirt, gulped, and pressed out the words that would be the final slam on their shaky relationship. “I might.”

His lips tightened and his expression further darkened. “You know that’s cheating right? Or have we been in an open relationship this whole time I just didn’t get the drift? Have there been others?” he growled.

Daniel was looking at him but he avoided looking at him, not sure if meeting his eyes or seeing his face full on would give hints to what was really going on or how he was feeling. “No, no others. I wasn’t planning on being in an open relationship or with anyone else. It just happened that once. But I didn’t dislike it.”

Daniel’s voice was heavy and calm, like the weather felt suffocatingly humid before a storm. “What do you want me to do? You want me to leave? You want to break up?”

Seongwoo shrugged. “I want you to do what you like. And I will do what I like. As we’ve always done.”

“Yah, Ong Seongwoo!”

Seognwoo jumped as Daniel shouted and tossed the glass across the room, shattering it against the wall. He bit his lip not to burst into tears right then. Not once in the years they had known each other or any of the times he had fought had Daniel spoken or acted like this. It was terrifying and it also killed him knowing that he had hurt this angelic, loving, selfless, sweet man to this extent.

“Do you not love me anymore? Is that it? You don’t need to go sneaking around my back in that case. If you are tired of me and you like Minhyun, just say it. Is it me or him? Just be honest.”

Seongwoo didn’t say anything for a long time. He wanted to say those words. Daniel needed to hear him say one way or the other to decide what he need to do about it. If he said that he didn’t like Minhyun, then he was worried he was going to spill out the whole plan and rush into the safety of his lover’s arms he missed terribly to the point he was aching with his entire being. If he said that he did, then he would lose the love of his life. Daniel would storm out this room likely and never see him again. He somehow couldn’t do that either, though that had been his plan all along and it was what he needed to do right now. 

The crushing loneliness he got a glimpse of right before he did it and seeing the damage of the hurt he was causing Daniel made him stop in his tracks. He couldn’t break up right then. He was more of a coward than he thought.

“I can’t…talk to you know. Later. I don’t know what to say. I need time to myself to think. Just…sorry…” Seongwoo whispered, hardly audible and shaky at the very end, his voice choking as tears filled up about to burst like a dam.

Daniel’s expression was dark, pissed, and his tone was like dry ice, leaving cold burns in its wake. “Sorry? Sorry! I catch you doing that and all I get is a sorry with no explanation or plan for what you want next, huh? This is so fucking unbelievable. Seongwoo, just fucking go to bed. I don’t want to see you right now. I’m so pissed that I cannot be held accountable for what I might end up doing to you at this point. For your own safety’s sake, just go in the bedroom and I’ll stay out here. Go!”

Seongwoo rushed to their bedroom and shut the door, leaning against it with his hand over his heart. He clutched the fabric, his lips quivering, his breath coming in shallow gasps, his eyes stinging, his entire chest burning and ripping him apart from the inside out. This was the most excruciating pain he had ever experienced. He would take the surgery without anesthesia compared to this any day now that he knew how it felt. He had no idea hurting Daniel and being on the brink of losing him would hurt so terribly. 

It was then that he realized the saying was all too true: ‘you don’t realize how much you love and need something until it’s gone.’ His loving, sweet, attentive, caring, understanding, cheerful, and giving Daniel that held him together in all dark, troublesome times in his life the past couple years was gone like that.

Daniel could be heard throwing things, kicking furniture and walls, cursing and crying in dreadful anguish in the living room. It added to Seongwoo’s pain as he sank down and curled up in a heap on the floor in the middle of a panic attack, sobbing his eyeballs out and banging on his chest that constricted tightly over the mangled, rapidly beating black lump that used to be his heart.

 

 

Seongwoo went out of his way to avoid Daniel the next week because he didn’t want Daniel to see the evidence of his sickness which could suddenly appear and was very difficult to hide. He forced Minhyun to follow him around and practically live at their place. Daniel slammed things around angrily in the morning and only casted hurt, angry glances at him in the morning. At night, he stayed out drinking and came back at dawn. 

They still slept in the same bed at Seongwoo’s insistence because their couch was full of painful broken springs, sometimes waking up to see that they had rolled into each other and started cuddling as a force of habit. Luckily, Seongwoo distanced himself before Daniel woke up most of the time. Not this morning though. He held Seongwoo tight around the stomach and hummed as he sniffed his hair and then kissed the nape of his neck before Seongwoo was able to slip away, not ready to give up the wonderful, comforting feeling he’d been missing terribly. 

“Seongwoo…” Daniel grumbled.

“Yes…?” Seongwoo answered despite he had planned to just feign sleep.

“I love you. Do you know that? I love you so damn much…”

Seongwoo figured Daniel must be sleep talking. It felt great to hear those words. His heart was soarcing with the doves in the sky. How long it had been and how much he had missed it. Three little words they had said every day that held so much meaning and he had taken it for granted. Those three blessed words that he was terrified he would never hear again before his light faded out.

“I do…” He did, and he felt the same hundred of times over even.

“But you love foxes now instead of puppies, huh? What can I do about that…I should let you go but…it hurts, Seongwoo. It hurts…I hate the idea of being without you. I miss you baby…” he whined softly, his tone genuinely somber and baby like.

Daniel was clutching him so tightly now he could hardly breathe. His lungs felt like they were about to cave in as a heavy weight pressed down on his chest. He felt a panic attack rising again. He burst into tears, covering his sobs with his hand and willing his body not to shake so much that it woke Daniel all the way and he realized that he was crying. Seongwoo crying was completely Daniel’s weakness. All of his anger would fade and him forcing distance between them would disappear in an instant like popped bubbles as soon as he was in a conscious Daniel’s comforting arms which he would undoubtedly find impossible to resist. He was a weak person and Daniel was strong and protective, in many more ways than just one.

“I’m pissed at you though. And I hate you. Go be with that jerk. You two cheaters deserve each other.”

Like that, Daniel was back to his angry, bitter, hateful self these days, his tone turned clip and icy. He pushed Seongwoo away onto his stomach and rolled to the opposite edge of the bed. He had turned cold again like he had been cast under Elsa’s spell. The Daniel that he loved and made his resistance weak was gone. Thankfully but also regrettably. The end of Ongniel was truly inevitable it seemed. 

His panic attack continued at a more intense level, causing him to move to the floor and curl up with the sheets and pillows to go unheard. Alone drowning and suffocating in his pain, fear, guilt, and loneliness. Alone, alone, every day alone for the rest of eternity…

 

One day when Seongwoo returned home from work, Daniel was waiting in the kitchen, drinking water with a packed suitcase next to him. It was the one that he had brought when he first moved in with Seongwoo, full of pretty much nothing but clothes. Seongwoo’s heart was breaking all over again but he pulled out his best acting skills to look indifferent as he left the door open and walked towards the living room.

“You’re leaving? Good to see you drinking something that’s not alcoholic for once. I guess I should change the locks.”

Daniel scoffed. It was a dark, bitter, scornful sound that was nothing like who he had known up until awhile ago. Seongwoo wondered what he had done to that bright, cheerful, positive man that he was like this all day it seemed. He hoped that he hadn’t ruined Daniel’s personality forever. Because that was the best part about him, not even taking second to his amazing looks and fit body. He was the sort of person that could light up a room and make any depressed, grumpy person crack a grin. Now it appeared like he hadn’t smiled in years, maybe like he didn’t even know how. 

In fact, the way that he looked these days was almost scary. Hot and intense, but rather terrifying. As if he was a bomb that could be set off at any second, possibly because he was almost always some level of drunk and ticked off. Seongwoo hoped he at least wasn’t like that at work or he was probably going to end up being fired, which would just be a mountain of salt in his wounds.

“If you still love me, then try to stop me.”

Daniel took a few steps and hesitated, looking back at Seongwoo with surprise and hurt. Seongwoo forced himself not to look at him but at the ground instead, not taking a step in his direction. He should say that he didn’t anymore just as Daniel suspected but he couldn’t force himself to get it out. He couldn’t make a sound. He was holding his breath, his whole body tense and shaking, on the verge of possibly the worst panic attack yet to come.

“Fine, I get it. Have a good fucking life without me,” Daniel growled.

Without waiting to hear if he would respond, he assumed what Seongwoo was saying non-verball and officially ended their relationship. The door slammed. The last red thread of the once thick string connecting their hearts snapped. Seongwoo winced. His vision started going blurry and at first he thought it was from the tears he couldn’t hold back anymore that spilled out like a broken dam as he finally came face to face with the fiercest of the pain and cold reality of the true, irrevocable loss of the man he loved more than himself. 

It wasn’t until he was clutching at his chest and staring up at the ceiling from the cold hard floor, unable to move except to hit the emergency call button that he was having another episode. A severe one. Though the physical pain of this attack was nothing compared to the deeper, eternal one he was experiencing. 

 

“How are you feeling today? Think you can go out to the park today at least? I saw that your favorite ninja squirrel was around.”

Minhyun set down the steaming, grainy, milky white porridge that was Seongwoo’s daily breakfast and kissed his forehead lightly, brushing his silky, dark brown bangs. Seongwoo smiled and thanked him but it wasn’t the sort of smile that made his dimples pop out or his freckles dance or his pretty eyes crinkle into half-moons that Minhyun saw most of the time he’d been friends with him. The reason for that smile was long gone. This sick, dispirited version was a zombie, practically half dead and waiting for the end to come quickly as if he had given up on the rest of his life. 

Two months had passed since the episode that caused Seongwoo to become bed ridden. He was no longer attending classes because he was practically crippled he was so physically weak and no one knew when he would be attacked with dizziness and have a fainting spell. Minhyun was taking a break to take care of him at his home along with some nurses until…well, at least until the date of the surgery for now. He hoped that there would still be an Ong Seongwoo in this world after that for him to care for during recovery.

Seongwoo hadn’t heard from Daniel since the day that he left the apartment. Minhyun had bumped into him a couple times and it was nasty. He lied to Seongwoo that Daniel seemed better and that his scratches and bruises were from falling on some stairs. He hoped that Seongwoo believed him so that he wouldn’t feel so crushingly guilty for the pain and destructive path that Daniel was experiencing because of what he thought they had been doing behind his back. 

Daniel was convinced that they were dating now, probably having seen Minhyun go in and out of Seongwoo’s apartment. Minhyun had seen how the break up and worsening sickness had worked quickly to tear Seongwoo down. He was a breathing zombie at this point, sitting in his bed, staring at poetry books he used to love reciting with Daniel, or staring out the window, silently crying with a totally blank face as if he didn’t know who or where he was anymore, just that he was incredibly unhappy with no end to that unhappiness in sight. 

Minhyun tried unsuccessfully several times a week to convince Seongwoo to make up with Daniel, to tell him about his sickness and confess that they were never in a relationship and their kiss had been an act to drive him away. He knew that Seongwoo needed Daniel more than any treatment and care this hospital or he could give and he hated to see him spend possibly the last moments of his life without him. 

Seongwoo proved to be incredibly stubborn, insisting that he had made the right decision and he was doing this all for Daniel’s sake. Minhyun had once nearly broken down in sobs, asking him what about doing something once for his own sake. Seongwoo had responded that Daniel always had and would be more important than himself and he couldn’t act selfishly when it came to him. Daniel would have done the same exact thing for him, he insisted. Minhyun couldn’t argue as their love was as intense and beautiful as it was tragic. 

“Ah, right. Surgery is tomorrow, huh? Time passed by faster than I thought…” Seongwoo murmured as he absently mixed the porridge around with that usual emotionless look. 

“Do you have anything you want to do on your last day? You know there’s still time to go see him if you want…” Minhyun hinted softly, petting the back of his head and sitting on the edge of the bed.

“You know my answer to that. A day of stress and more tears wouldn’t be good for me anyway. He wouldn’t forgive me that quickly for us to actually enjoy a reunion. It’s been several months that I’ve made him suffer now with this misunderstanding. I wouldn’t likely forgive him for weeks more and we don’t have the luxury of more time.”

Minhyun sighed and hugged him, resting his chin on his head that sadly had less luscious hair and more sunken in, pasty skin than before. “Aigoo, stubborn Ong Seongwoo, what to do with you…”

Seongwoo reached up with his weak, pale, bruised all over from the daily IV needles arm and brushed Minhyun’s arm. “Just…pray for me. That’s all anyone can do now.”

“Okay, I’ve been doing that a lot already. I’m used to it.”

 

(At that same time)

 

“What am I doing here again? I guess I’m a masochist. I just keep volunteering to stab my dead, bled out heart a few times more, don’t I like a sicko…” Daniel sighed.

Minhyun had just gone into Seongwoo’s building, carrying breakfast. Daniel wondered for a moment why Seongwoo wanted porridge so often as he was usually more of a fan of rice and fish. He debated about if he should go to work since he was on his last warning or just get fired and go to the bar and drink all day, drowning away his pain like he often did. The numbness was the only way he could sleep alone in the tiny, smelly, run-down guest house he was staying at.   
He sat down on the curb and stared at the apartment that he used to call his home which housed the man he once thought of as the love of his life inside.

“Are you happy? Is he treating you well? Is he giving you a lot of affection? Lifting heavy things for you? Cooking for you? Killing the bugs for you?” he muttered to himself.

Daniel was full of regrets these days. Rather than being angry at those two, he was terribly angry at himself. For ruining the best thing that had ever happened with him, his relationship with an angel. He had a lot of time to reflect on why Seongwoo had started something with Minhyun. It must have been that he was lacking something and he gave Daniel hints but he didn’t pick up on it. 

He thought of Seongwoo as a good man through and through. He wouldn’t have just been cheating on him for no reason. He wasn’t at all the player sort. Daniel was only his second boyfriend ever. It took him over a month to get over being hurt, shocked, betrayed, and pissed to sort through that much. Hopefully, Minhyun was doing a better job because Seongwoo was an angel in human form that deserved the whole world. Daniel just hadn’t been cutting it.

“Why couldn’t it still be me by your side, baby? What was I doing wrong? Did I really just miss all the warning signs? If I could have, I would have fixed everything for you. I miss you…”

He hugged his knees and laid his chin on top, pouting as he looked at the window of their old bedroom. Minhyun and Seongwoo were probably in there now, snuggling and kissing in the blankets that they had picked out together that were a mix of both of their favorite colors. He was feeling homesick terribly and incredibly lonely. 

He whined pitifully into his jeans, burying his head in anguish at what has become of him and how foolish, pathetic, and uncool he looked right then. Losing Seognwoo had made him a complete mess and his life was in shambles. He was tempted to cry but at some point his tears had dried up or he’d forgotten to. The sadness was on a whole deeper level that wouldn’t be relieved by crying.

 

 

“Ah, it hurts! F-!”

Daniel covered Jaehwan’s mouth with his hand quickly as he helped him hobble through the hospital hallway to the waiting room.

“Shh, there are kids here. Don’t you dare curse. Just bite something when it hurts bad.”

“Easy for you to say. Let’s trade places, you bas—”

Daniel muffled his mouth this time all the way until they were seated. He sighed and stretched out his body which ached from carrying a man almost as big and heavy as him from the soccer field all the way there. Jaehwan had fallen and twisted his leg, likely severing a ligament and needing a brace. He wasn’t going to play soccer for awhile which was going to make him bummed. Well, Daniel was the king of being ‘bummed’, that was a vast understatement actually. So he would be preaching to the choir there.

After checking in with the nurse and filling out the form without much help from the groaning, whiney oversized baby he called his best friend, he helped Jaehwan hobble to the doctor’s office. He absently looked over the name plaques and saw an unusual name that he would never forget. ‘Ong’. There were hardly any Ongss in Korea and he had never heard of any other himself. It would be an odd coincidence, though it was possible. 

He wondered if maybe there had been an accident at home like Seongwoo cut his finger cutting onions again or spilled hot water on his arm while doing tea. Seongwoo was an infamous clutze and it wouldn’t be the first time that doing daily activities that were simple and safe for normal people put him in the hospital. After dropping off Jaehwan, he went back to the room and stared at the name plaque.

“Ongie…is that you? What happened? Please be okay…” he whispered, touching the plate lovingly like it was his ex-boyfriend’s handsomely beautiful, freckled face which haunted him in every dream he had.

He tapped the shoulder of a passing nurse and smiled wide. “Excuse me, miss. Is this really a mistake? Is there a person in here named Ong?”

The nurse checked her clipboard and nodded. “Yes, odd as it is. Ong Seongwoo. And he’s handsome enough to fit the rare name. He looks like a movie star.”

“Ah, I see. Thank you…”

After she left, Daniel stared at the door with his fingers lightly touching it, debating whether to press it open or not. He could just peek in, he didn’t have to say anything. He would leave once he was sure it wasn’t something really terrible that had happened. If not, it would tear him up with worry. 

Just as he was about to push the door, it swung outward. His heart started beating like it was a drum set being banged on. He came face to face with a tall, handsome, fair skinned, dark haired man that resembled a fox though, rather than the man he was hoping to see. It was his ex-friend and his rival, someone he hated with a vengeance still. His impulse was to punch him for the hundredth time but this was a public place and Seongwoo was hurt. 

He balled his hands in fists and put them behind his back. He couldn’t smile but at least he controlled himself from his usual scowl when he saw Minhyun.

“Is Seongwoo okay? What happened?” he asked tightly.

Minhyun looked back into the room with hesitation. Daniel mistook it as he didn’t want Daniel to be in on their life or know anything about Seongwoo because he was territorial of his boyfriend. He pulled Minhyun from the door and shoved him to the wall, twisting his collar. 

“Listen, you freaking thief. You might have taken away from me and I might haven chosen to leave that house and give him up to you because it seemed like that’s what he was leaning towards wanting, but I never stopped loving or caring about him. I want to, no I need to, no I demand to know what he is doing in here. If you know what is good for you, you will tell me and then I will be in on my way or you can end up in the bed next to him in a full body cast. Especially if I find out you have anything to do with how he got hurt. Got it, pretty boy?”

Minhyun gulped and tapped at his shoulders. “Okay, okay. Calm down. No more bruises, I’m still recovering from our last run-in. I’m modeling now, remember? I will let you know. I was just hesitant because Seongwoo doesn’t want you to know.”

Daniel released him and stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest. He made up for in build with what he lost in height, he noted proudly. “Well, why not? What would I do with the information? He has you to take care of him. This is for me to rest at ease.”

Minhyun sobered and started at him for several seconds with a dark look in his eyes. “What if I told you that this information would not allow you to rest at all, would you still want to know?”

Daniel faltered, eyes growing wide and his heart racing with fear. “Is it something serious? I want to know. Hurry up and say! What happened to my baby?”

Minhyun smiled slightly at Daniel’s tongue slip. Daniel apologized, saying something about how it was still a habit and he hated that Seongwoo was Minhyun’s baby now but he was on the way to accepting it he swore. Though he still hated Minhyun’s guts currently despite him being a decent guy(besides stuffing his tongue in another man’s boyfriend’s mouth right in front of said man).

“No, let’s clear this misunderstanding. He’s not my baby. He’s still yours and always will be. We were never dating. From the moment he kissed me it was all an act or you misunderstanding things.”

Daniel was dumbfounded and shook his head as if he had water in his ears. “Neh? Explain more. Why would Seongwoo want to act like he was cheating on me?”

Minhyun explained calm and slow and in full detail from the very beginning of the sad, complicated tale. After he had heard it, Daniel barged in to the room and barked at the nurse for her to get out. Minhyun assured her it was someone important and he wouldn’t harm Seongwoo. 

Seongwoo was looking at him like he’d seen a ghost or an angel, half in awe and half in terror, torn about how to react. He pulled the blanket and his knees up to his chest and stared down at his twiddling hands, each covered with tape and needles. Daniel took in his image silently for several minutes standing next to his bed. Seongwoo liked totally different than he remembered. He was ghastly pale, gaunt, bruised, darkly circled eyes, and all around sickly. The flush of embarrassment that painted his milky skin was still pretty, as were his long, feathery eye lashes and perfectly groomed brows and charming triangular dots.

“Seongwoo…are you hurt badly?” Daniel asked softly with concern.

“No, no, I’m fine. This is just…this is just…it’s nothing. I’ll be better in a few days…It’s the, er, like a flu…” Seongwoo stammered out a terrible lie.

Daniel snorted and smiled soft yet sad, resting a hand on his arm. Seongwoo visibly shivered and tried to shift away but there was no where for him to run anymore and he was too weak to attempt to, mentally and physically. Just that small touch felt like it was a healing miracle already, bringing life back into his icy cold, lackluster body.

“Stop lying to me, you stubborn brat. It looks like you’ve been through hell and back. I’ve heard everything from Minhyun. Have you been keeping this sickness from me the whole time we knew each other? I don’t recall anything but if I just forgot I’m so, so sorry and…”

Seongwoo shushed him, bopping him on the nose with one finger and finally looking at him with a small smile. “You are forgetful, indeed. But this time it isn’t your fault. I never told you. I kept it a secret from everyone besides my family. I was so good for so long I thought it was completely gone. But I guess it was just lying dormant…”

“It came back worse, huh?” Daniel commented with a sympathetic look and soft, half smile.

Seongwoo nodded. “Much more so…I will be getting surgery.”

Daniel chewed on his lip, looking anxious. “When?”

Seongwoo smiled bitterly. “Tomorrow.”

Daniel’s face fell completely. “Oh…so soon…”

Seongwoo couldn’t look at him then. This was going to be hard to admit to. “Sooner the better. Still the chances aren’t good. That’s why I did all of this.”

“Why you let me think you cheated with Minhyun and didn’t love me anymore, you mean?” Daniel questioned with an almost amused tone.

“Er, yeah…” Seongwoo muttered, flushing like a strawberry.

Daniel let go of the hands he was cradling to fist the blankets, afraid he would hurt Seongwoo as fury came rushing back through him with a vengeance. He wanted to comfort him but he was so angry that Seongwoo hadn’t trusted him and made him look like an idiot. 

“Dammit, Seongwoo. All this time we could have stuck together and enjoyed the time we had left. What a waste your idea caused. How could you not trust me? How could you just sacrifice yourself?”

“I didn’t want to make you sad and hurt worse. I figured you would be just angry and then easily get over me if you though I left you and never heard from me again than if you thought god had taken me from you and left you alone…” he muttered, pouting and tearing up with his face down in shame.

Daniel sighed and looked at him for awhile, visibly relaxing as he thought through what Seongwoo said and decided how he should respond to that. Luckily, his anger seemed to quickly fade now that he knew Seongwoo hadn’t ever been cheating on him.

“Alright, I see your point. That’s not fully stupid reasoning either. I appreciate how you cared about me so much. No more crying, please. I can’t take the sight, baby…” Daniel cradled his cheeks and wiped them before pulling the frail man into a gentle embrace.

Seongwoo snuggled into him and sighed softly. “Hmm, this is nice. I missed you.”

Daniel rubbed his back and kissed his temple. “I’m sure you did, you Ongcheongie pabo. I missed you more, believe me. I’m sorry I was a jerk and didn’t look closer at the way you were acting. When I think of it, your actions were a bit strange. I love you, I never ever stopped and I never ever will, no matter what happens…”

“That’s what I was afraid of. If something happens to me, I don’t want you hung up on me and ending up as some cat crazed old man. You should…”

Daniel squeezed him and pressed his mouth more into his shoulder so his voice became muffled. “Shh. We aren’t going to think like that. Only happy thoughts and prayers, Seongwoo-ya. You aren’t going to be leaving my side or replaced by any cats, I promise. We’re going to have a miracle.”

That night, Daniel convinced the nurse to let him stay the night in the room. They stayed up chatting and kissing, making up for lost time, trying to smile and think positively. Mischievous Seongwoo wanted to get Daniel to give him one last love making session just in case he never had a chance after the next day but Daniel was concerned he would lose sleep and stamina that he needed for the surgery for his body to fight properly so he refused. Seongwoo’s ultimate pout was the most adorable thing ever.

 

 

Daniel alternated between biting his fingernails while sitting down and wringing his shirt while pacing as the surgery was taking place. It was oddly calm and quiet in there and the halls eerily silent except for the echo of murmurs and footsteps. Minhyun was bent over his folded hands, staring pensively at the floor like a statue, unmoving the last hour. 

Jaehwan was bandaged up and resting still in his room, unable to be there with them by nurse’s order. Minhyun and Jaehwan had been acquainted before so while Daniel stayed with Seongwoo, Minhyun ended up entertaining Jaehwan. On his way to the bathroom, Daniel had went to visit Jaehwan, seeming like he had interrupted some private moment. It seemed that they were hitting it off well. The only reason Minhyun was here was because he cared for Seongwoo and he felt like he needed to be there to keep Daniel calm. 

Daniel still didn’t really like him or fully forgive him yet since he still kissed his boyfriend and went along with Seongwoo’s crazy plan for so long. He was of course grateful for being by Seongwoo’s side while he was suffering though. At least Seongwoo had been in comfort and not so lonely up until today. Minhyun did have some sort of calming affect on him. It was nice to know that if he went berserk and tried to rush into the room, there would be someone to physically stop him and put the rationality back in his mind. Daniel wasn’t sure how long surgery was supposed to be taking, but it lasted longer than he thought and that dragged on mentally for much longer than he could bare. He was staring at the door, tugging at his hair.

“This is the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through. I would rather go back in time to suffer through that time I had four cavities drilled in one day,” he groaned.

Minhyun patted his knee and attempted to smile. “Just keep praying and be glad that everything seems to go well. If something were going wrong, things would get noisy and people would be rushing in and out.”

“Ah, is that s…”

Daniel drifted off, his back shooting straight and eyes bulging as the door opened and blood covered nurses were rushing out. There were more nurses in a corner of the room that had to be where the surgery was taking place but they couldn’t see well with the distance and curtains inside. Daniel bit his lip and Minhyun dug his hands in Daniel’s leg as they watched anxiously. 

The heart monitor started beeping wildly. There were barks of orders and frantically moving nurses and assistants. The beeping slowed and quieted. The sound of a defibrillator warming up and being shot came out. Then there was that infamous ‘beep beep bee------p’ that everyone who ever watched a medical drama would know. 

Seongwoo’s heart had stopped. Daniel’s paused and then started racing in panic. He shot up, not believing that he had possibly heard that horrid sound. The sounds of increased panic and the defibrillator being warmed up at a higher voltage barked by the doctor came out through the doors that Daniel rushed at. Minhyun was there, trying to hold him back but it was like holding onto a terrified bull bent on escape. 

“Seongwoo! Hang in there! I’m here! Don’t you dare leave me! You promised you would fight! It can’t be the last time I see you, it just can’t!” he choked with sobs, straining to get through the doors that capped, gowned, plastic covered nurses were blocking, imploring him to calm down and insisting he couldn’t go in in the middle of surgery no matter the circumstances. 

They were feeding him lies about how Seongwoo could bounce back from this easily and he was going to be okay and there was no reason for them to be alarmed so they should both go return to their seats in the waiting area. Daniel and Minhyun both wanted to scream at them and slap them for spilling such bullshit so easily, as if they would easily fall for that and be calmed like children.

“Seongwoo-yah! I love you! Come back to me! Dammit, don’t you go!” Daniel shouted after collapsing to his knees, Minhyun hugging him tight and crying as well though not as hysterically just yet.

From the sounds of the it, Seongwoo was still in cardiac arrest and the doctors were fighting to save his life with all their might. “400 volts, charging…clear! 450 volts, charging….clear! 500 volts, charging…clear!”

 

 

Seongwoo came in and out of a deep sleep for several days. He tried to open his eyes and move his body but he could barely and not enough for anyone to notice before slipping back into oblivion. Some of those moments he was conscious, he heard bits and pieces of conversations going on around him. Most were unfamiliar nurses and his doctor discussing his vitals, any improvements, his medicines, and what to do next. 

He learned that he was in a comatose state, not actually asleep, and it was not certain if he would be able to wake up after they brought him back from the brink of death during surgery. Surgery had apparently gone well as he felt better somehow, he just knew it, like the cells in his body were clean and refastening together with stronger bonds than they had before. That was a relief at least. A miracle had actually happened, like him and Daniel had been hoping and praying hard for.

Other voices were familiar and filled him with joy, especially the one that he missed so terribly and was scared he would never hear again outside of his recollections. Daniel was still there like he had promised. He really hadn’t left his side or given up on him. Even after all the pain and frustration he caused by being a foolish, immature brat.

“…he looks better. I just hope he wakes up soon. I’m not going to be greedy for anything else. At least the surgery worked somehow. That’s miracle in enough…”

“How long have you been up, Daniel? Go home and sleep. I’ll take over the watch.”

“You won’t even leave his side a second to help me hobble to the bathroom? Tch…”

“Seongwoo, I love you. I don’t know if you can hear that but please just know that I love you. I’m right here. Keep on fighting. You’re strong, much stronger than me…”

“Why isn’t he showing any signs of waking up? He looks totally normal. He just looks like he’s sleeping…”

“Daniel, you should stop crying. He can probably hear you, the doctor said. We shouldn’t give him stress. Only positive, encouraging words. We have to bring him back to us…”

“I can tell you a funny story, Ong. Or play you a song? You always did like my guitar. Hmm, what was your favorite? Ah, September by Daughtry right.”

“Thanks, Jae. Seongwoo liked that, I’m sure. Didn’t you baby? He likes Everglow too. It reminds him of a letter…”

“Ah, luckily I happen to know that one, even just a bit.”

“Haa…How I miss your voice, singing and talking and even nagging. I just miss all of you. Won’t you come back baby? I need you…”

“Daniel, why did you bring that? You really think that he’s going to come back for his seal and snacks?”

“Maybe he misses them more. I was being a royal jerk to him before we broke up and was clueless as to what he was doing. I should have known something like this was going on, the way he’s always sacrificing himself for the ‘greater good’ like this. I’m an idiot, and he’s an angel, who hopefully hasn’t returned to heaven just yet…I refuse to let him go and I’m not ready to say goodbye…”

The music he liked with poetic, beautiful, deep lyrics was comforting and some of the conversations comical, the bickering that happened between the worried discussions about him. It was torture to hear Daniel missing him and beating up on himself and sounding so desperately on the edge and lonely but unable to do anything about it. He tried with all his might to open his eyes or at least get his throat to make some kind of sound. He wanted to comfort Daniel and let him know that he was present and listening and not brain dead at least. All he could do was fight against the darkness, pray for his condition to improve quickly, and soak in that lovely, accented voice as he waited for the coma to pass. 

 

 

“Hmm…”

Seongwoo opened his eyes and tried to sit up. Finally, he was conscious and gathered enough strength to make movements and sounds, even the primal, most minimal ones. He could let people know he was alive and well. Jeez, that had been like being at war, just with himself.

“Oh my god.”

Minhyun jumped forward and ran to the bed, the chair he was sitting in falling to the side in his haste. His handsome face wore a completely stunned, delightful look.

“Hmm…wh…” Seongwoo tried to ask where he was and where Daniel was but it was harder than he thought to speak. His throat was dry and stung when he actually tried to force out words, though he knew he could actually do it.

“Holy shit, it’s real this time. Seongwoo! You’re awake, aren’t you?” Minhyun grabbed his shoulders and shook him slightly with a hopeful tone.

“Ye…ah…hmm…”

“Thank god! We’ve been waiting for you for weeks. Finally, you’re back! I should get Daniel right away. He’s going to be ecstatic but also so bummed he wasn’t the first person you saw. Gotta hurry, where’s that darn phone, Jaehwan was playing a game on it and now…”

“No! N..ot…ye….t…” Seongwoo forced himself to get out.

Minhyun sat on the bed and held his hands, looking at him curiously. He started guessing about why he wouldn’t want to see Daniel just yet until he got it right.

“Ah, so you’re worried about your looks. What a romantic, as always, Ongcheongie. How could you think any of that was important after the hell you two have been through the last few months?”

Seongwoo looked down, feeling shy and embarrassed. He loved Daniel and it was their reunion. He didn’t want to appear ugly. He didn’t want to make Daniel regret having waited all this time for him.

Minhyun laughed and searched around until he found his phone, patting his leg gently. “Arasso, arasso. I will show you. To be honest, the rest has done you well. The surgery and medicine too. Your hiar is lustrous and your skin is glowing and you gained weight.”

Seongwoo touched his face with his eyes popped out. Minhyun chuckled and brushed his cheek fondly, pinching the flesh. “You’re not fat, don’t worry. You just look healthy compared to recently that’s all. You look human again. It’s a good thing.”

Seongwoo relaxed and smiled, feeling relieved. Then he slowly pointed at Minhyun’s phone. He wanted Minhyun to show him through the camera what he looked like. He didn’t fully believe the guy. He resembled a fox after all and those animals were infamous tricksters. Minhyun rolled his eyes and smirked as he held up the phone.

“I see you are back to your normal self, humor attached. I certainly did miss this version, as aggravating as he can be. Look. As illegally, inhumanly gorgeous as ever. How can you look fine even in these horrid gowns? You’re going to go getting all arrogant again,” he joked with a fakely bitter tone.

After Seongwoo checked his appearance and was satisfied with it, he nodded. He couldn’t wait a second more to see Daniel.

“Call…him…” he choked out huskily.

“You got it. He’s going to be so thrilled. You are about to see a kangaroo burst in and entertain you. Careful not to bust your stitches laughing and being happy.”

Seongwoo was already smiling from ear to ear as if a hanger was pushed in his mouth. A few minutes later, there were steps sounding down the hallway of people running. In the door, burst Daniel, breathless, blonde hair mussed, red faced, and sweaty. He stared hard at Seongwoo for a moment, making Seongwoo feel shy. Then, Seongwoo moved to hold his arms open and smiled.

“Nie…llie…” he managed to get out, his tone welcoming and full of love.

Daniel then smiled brightly, his eyes glistening with tears. He rushed to the bed and enveloped his boyfriend in his arms.

“Oh, my god, Seongwoo…you’re awake, you’re really awake…you came back to me…thank you so much…I can’t believe it. Miracles can happen, I suppose.”

“We made them happen, Daniel. Through prayer. And Seongwoo because he was so strong. Or his love for you was that strong he didn’t want to let you go.”

Minhyun patted their shoulders with love and then left them alone, probably going to see where his boyfriend Jaehwan had wondered off to. Daniel set Seongwoo down on the bed and held his hands as he looked him all over. Seongwoo was flushed and smiling shyly, feeling tingly under his intense, caring stare.

“Are you feeling okay? Does anything hurt? Is there anything I can get you? Shoot, you must not be able to talk and you must be hungry and thirsty. I don’t know the code for after you wake up. I should get the nurse…”

Daniel was blabbering, which amused Seongwoo. He chuckled lightly. Daniel froze and beamed at the sound, clearly ecstatic that Seongwoo wasn’t broken. Seongwoo squeezed his hands and shook his head just a miniscule amount when he tried to go. Daniel chuckled and leaned in to softly peck his forehead, both of them closing their eyes and relishing in the little moment.

“Okay, I got you. I will stay here a bit longer since that’s what you desire more than food and water. We can still read each other’s minds I see. Us scientists. Guess your brain’s fully functioning, thank god.”

Seongwoo lifted his head and stared at him warmly, asking for something silently. Daniel nuzzled and kissed all over his face, savoring his lips for last. It was sweet, even if Seongwoo’s lips were terribly chapped.

"What's the password, pussy cat? If I say, 'Nuguseyo?', what should you say?"

“I…love…you…” Seongwoo whispered.

“That's right! Oh, thank god, you're really all right~ I love you too baby. More than anything in the whole world. Thank you for coming back and giving us a second chance. I’m going to be the best boyfriend in the world this time around.”

“You…are…already…” Seongwoo insisted slowly, reaching up to sort of cup Daniel’s cute, blissfully happy, widely smiling face, though he couldn’t move his fingers well yet.

Daniel blushed up to the tips of his ears and laughed, his almond eyes crinkling up until they almost closed and dimples popping out in his fluffy cheeks that were a little less fluffy from stress and lack of sleep. “That was always you, baby. You’re the perfect one. I’ll try really hard to be though as well. Anything you want, anytime, anywhere. Anytime, anywhere~”

Seongwoo smiled and nodded. Then, pursed his lips out for anther kiss. Daniel leaned in slowly and turned at the very last minute to kiss his cheek. Seongwoo whined and pouted, giving the cutest ‘hing’ face in existence. Daniel chuckled and gave him what he wanted—a real kiss full of adoration and promises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is for my friend Tanti. It's inspired by the mv and song Haru Haru by Big Bang mixed with Tanti unni's ideas. I just tried to bring the angst to life. Sorry not sorry if I made you cry. I wanted to try angst here and there after all. Not sure if I'm any good at it but this I think is a pretty good attempt. I cried a lot watching the Haru Haru mv and think that this sort of plot line in dramas or movies or fics is so depressing huhuhu. Tear jerker~ 
> 
> Thanks to Tanti unni for being a great friend and a loyal reader for so long. I love you <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading all the way to the end of this drabble. I appreciate it so much! Please let me know what you thought as I'm new to one-shots and I could really use some feedback~


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